“Where’s Chrissy and Dex?” Her voice is shy and timid when she stops and spins around at the bottom of the stairs.

“Out.” I grab her hand again, unable to stop from fondling her. My body craves having her warm heat mixed with mine.

“Oh. Do you think they suspect?”

“I told Chrissy.”

Her feet freeze in the doorway from our living room to our kitchen and she yanks my arm.

“What?”

I twist around and give her my undivided attention, figuring I probably should have talked to her about that. “Chrissy helped me last year. She’s one of the people who dragged me up from the bottom of the shit storm. I couldn’t keep it from her and I knew she’d understand if I told her straight.”

“She’s okay with it?” Relief floods her face.

“Yeah.” I watch her shoulders deflate.

“Oh, good. I didn’t want her to hate me, you know? She’s a good friend.” A small smile forms on her face and I’m thankful I didn’t fuck this up before it even started.

“That she is.” I glance to the door and back to her. “Let’s get out of here.”

She nods and I lead us on our date. I lock the door and she waits behind me like this isn’t her house, too. When we get to the Mustang, she stays back, allowing me to open the door for her. By the time I climb in myself and move to insert the key into the ignition, she’s twisted my way. When my eyes dart to her, her head bolts to the side.

“What?”

She’s releases a short breath. “What did you mean about give it to her straight?” She studies me with confused eyes. “I mean, like that we’re just starting out and it’s no big deal, or—”

“Or?”

Her eyes flash down to my stick shift and she swallows deep.

“Paige.” I wait for her to focus back on me. She doesn’t grant me her hurt eyes that she wants more out of this than she believes I’m ready to give. Placing my finger under her chin, I guide it up so she can see how truthful I am in this moment. That there’s no stopping until she wakes up one day and breaks my heart. I’ll swap the pain for only snippets of memories with her forever. “I told her I like you. That I wanted to go on a date.” Her chin trembles, but she recovers fast. “This isn’t about fucking you, Paige. I thought that was clear in my bed this afternoon?”

She nods. “You did. I’m sorry.” Straightening her back, she spins in her seat, focusing on the garage wall.

“Baby?” I try to grab her attention, but she shakes her head as though she wants to will the tears in her eyes away.

“No, Rob. You shouldn’t have to constantly claim your feelings for me. Remember those demons I told you that haunt me? Well, it’s trust that a guy can actually love a woman for an extended period of time, if at all.”

I reach over and squeeze her hand. “I’ll prove you wrong.”

Her head whips to me and the tears that were brimming now trickle down her cheeks. “You don’t have to. This is my issue to overcome,” she argues, but I shake my head.

“I’ll prove it. Believe me, Paige, you’ll be the one breaking me.” I start the car unable to continue this conversation about the peace I’ve already made with myself that I’m undeserving of her and one day she’ll wake up like Sleeping Beauty, to her real prince.

She professes nothing, letting my promise linger in the small confines of my car. This isn’t the laughing and smiling date I assumed we’d have, but if she needs reassurances from me, I’ll hand them over. What do I have to lose? She’s already broken me. She flicked the last chip stuck on my shoulder off. Unleashed me from the pain that’s occupied my heart for so long. That’s why I’ll grab whatever she gives me and never ask for more.

Once I follow the signs for the freeway, she faces me again. “Enough demons, where are you taking me today?” Her voice much happier than a few minutes ago. Another reason I’m falling for her. She never allows anything bad to occupy her mind for long.

“Rock N Roll Museum.” She chokes on the sip of water she helped herself to in my center console. Although, I didn’t think we were at that point, I love that she did. “Is that okay?” I ask her, reaching over for the open bottle in her hands.

“Of course.” There’s a hint of doubt in her voice, but I’ll assume it’s from the talk before we left.

“I just figured you’re always listening to all that classic rock. It should be right up your alley.” She nods, but uncomfortable to say the least.

“Yes.” Who is this chick? Not the Paige I know.

“Have you ever been there? If you don’t want to go?” I try to hide the dryness in my throat that I picked wrong.

“No.” She reaches across and squeezes my knee with her hand. “It’s perfect.” Too bad when I glance over that gorgeous smile doesn’t lift her cheeks.

MY STOMACH HAS never churned as much as it has this thirty-minute trip to Cleveland. Have I ever been there? Hell, I was there for the damn induction of my dad’s band, The Raptures. Rob’s lucky I didn’t spit the water all over his lap when he answered with the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame. Maybe then he would have spun this car around and back into the safety of our garage.

As we exit the freeway and begin to weave the streets of downtown, I pinpoint in my head the exact location The Raptures are at in the museum. I need to stay fucking clear of that area because of that one damn picture everyone loves so much. As though I was The Raptures’ damn mascot, it’s well known. I’m actually surprised Rob hasn’t figured it out; he saw the picture of me twirling around in my princess dress. It’s the same dress with me in it on the cover of their most popular album. The picture is distorted to appear faded and ripped, but it’s me. I’m nauseated the more I think about him finding out who my dad is.

“You okay?” he asks, concern etched in his eyes.

I plaster on the fake smile. “Yeah.” Rob sees through my mask but doesn’t call me on it.

Shit. I suck in another breath. Rob’s eyes have veered over my way too many times since we’ve started this date. Maybe I should spout it out right now. Tell him so he doesn’t think I deliberately kept a secret from him. But I did. Why? Because I’m too damn scared he’ll be with me for that sole reason. The usual instant best friendships I usually get when people find out who my dad is, is bad enough. Take into account Rob is a guitarist that’s contemplating making music his career and it only compounds the reality. If Rob finds out my dad is Greg Thompson, I might never know if he truly loves me.

“Here we are.” Rob passes by, driving into the parking garage.

He shuts the engine off and I move to grab the handle of the car door, but his hand on my thigh stops me.

“Are you sure you want to go? You seem weird since I brought it up.” How could anyone believe this man sitting across from me didn’t care for other people? His loving and adoring blue hues speak volumes. His nonverbal is so much louder than his mouth.

“Yes. I’m excited.” I smile and then open the door to the car.

When we meet up behind the car, he links his fingers with mine. “I would have liked to open your door.” He knocks his shoulder with mine and I smile.

“Sorry, force of habit I guess.” When I don’t toss a snarky comment back, he stops me in front of the elevators.

“Talk to me.” He jerks my hand and I sigh.

“I have to tell you something, but can it wait until we’re in there?”

He tilts his head in confusion. “Take your time, Paige. I’m not going to rush you.”

Seriously, he’s so sweet. My lips lift because he’s wrong, I could never break him, which hopefully means we’re stuck together.

“I want it all out there, Rob. You’ve told me everything, and it’s time I do, too.”

He frowns slightly, as though he’s offended that I haven’t been as honest as he presumed. Then he smiles and the elevator dings for us. The air stiffens around us as the elevator descends down. Before my crazy behavior, I imagine Rob would have pinned me up against this wall, maybe eased between my legs as he thoroughly kissed me.