Page 93 of Rising Star

I sighed, but I saw how he watched Devon. If she thought Sam had it bad for me, she was blind to how her man was head over heels in love with her. “You guys are incorrigible. Next time, I expect you two to join us. It will be good for your stress level. Either that or you can watch from a distance. No more disturbing our moment with your naughty thoughts.”

Sam leaned in and kissed my lips. “Oh, I love this business side of you, babe. Careful, Ry will want to snatch you up and bring you on his team.”

“I already offered. She’s better at working with kids,” Riley said with a shake of his head before disappearing inside his bus, only to come back minutes later with two mugs of coffee and offer one to Sam.

Back on our knees, once the tension in my leg had receded a little, Devon and I moved to child’s pose, stretching our arms in front of us on the ground and breathing in and out. Beside us, the guys sipped their caffeine, lost in their thoughts and the calmness of the moment.

In silence, later, once we were all done, we watched the night ceding its place to the day, relishing the beauty of nature as it offered a blank page to us.

And to our souls.

* * *

The emotions whirling inside me were hard to name. Pride and lust. Or joy and fascination. And love with a capital L. I was madly in love with my country music star boss. The man whose daughters I adored. And the one whose smile grew bigger when I stepped into his vicinity.

Sam strummed the first chord of “You’re My Whole World,” waiting for the images of the girls and him to start playing on the giant screen behind him. Mikaella’s and Justine’s voices filled the space, and his eyes darted to mine. All night, I’d been sitting on a stool by the side of the stage, my gaze glued to the man performing. He kissed two fingers and sent the gesture my way, but people would interpret it as if it was meant for his daughters. But I knew better. A mist clouded my eyes, and my hands pressed my chest, calming the chaotic pulsations of my own heart.

Kissing my fingers the same way he did, I blew it back his way. My heart went haywire at the sight of the twinkles dancing in Sam’s eyes.

In this silent talk, we exchanged more emotions than any words could.

“He’s amazing, isn’t he?” Riley asked from my right.

I nodded. “I’ll never get used to this. It’s breathtaking.”

He chuckled. “His Legend title fits him more than ever. He was at the top, walked away when he had to, and climbed right back up as if he never left. He’s an amazing father, an amazing artist, but more than that, he’s an amazing man. I’m glad he finally gave himself the chance to prove it.”

Belinda, or Belle as they all called her, joined me. After the success of Stud’s surprise appearance back in Portland, her husband had agreed to do a few more shows with Sam.

Our men hugged and performed together.

“They’re just phenomenal,” she said, watching her husband with so much pride. “I know he misses it. I’m glad he accepted Sam’s offer to join him.”

I looked at her. “Why did he retire? If it’s not too personal.”

“Short story. Dahlia quit the band and got married after she learned she was pregnant with Jack. The whole nine yards. It got us thinking. We talked about having a family of our own and reached for other dreams we shared. This life isn’t easy. The opportunity presented itself sooner than we thought. We bought a piece of property and decided to go for it. During that time, Carter was struggling due to the band breaking up. Timing.” She paused. “We never looked back. I’d follow him around the globe if he chose to give it another shot. Music is his passion, but woodwork fulfilled him. He’s calmer, more focused, and he gets to be with the kids. I’ll always respect his choices. But seeing him rocking a stage brings a mixture of nostalgia and elation.”

I sighed. “I get what you mean. It’s still brand new for me, but I see how Sam thrives. How happy he is when he steps onstage.”

Her phone rang. “I’ll be right back.”

Once she left, I returned my full attention to my own rock star.

The crowd erupted in applause and chanted his name when he walked offstage after one and a half hour of putting his heart and soul out there through his music.

My body thrummed with its echoes even minutes later.

After accepting a bottle of water and handing the technician his guitar, Sam walked to Riley and hugged him, emotions pouring out of him. I blinked to keep my own emotions at bay at the sight of this man, strong and hard-working, vulnerable and grateful, facing his friend. None of us would have been here tonight if Riley Burns hadn’t made it happen. I was all too aware. Sam knew it too.

Once he collected himself and dried his face with a towel, Sam pivoted until we faced each other. His pupils dilated. Raw arousal radiated from him in waves. Even without touching me, Sam Stevens had total control over my body. It responded to every twitch of his.

With my finger, I pressed the rapid pulse point of my throat, talking myself into calming the fuck down.

I knew this version of Sam Stevens. I’d never be able to resist him when he stared at me as if I was his next meal. This happened every time, after exiting the stage, when I came to see him perform.

He neared Stud, and they clapped each other’s backs, grinning like fools. Even tonight, I still had a hard time conceiving how I ended up in the close circle of two of the most talented musicians in the world.

We parted ways, Sam leading me away after telling Stud we’d meet him in his hotel room for drinks afterward.