“If
opposites attract, then I am nothing. Because you, you are
everything.”
There’s
no easy road traveled to such an intense sentiment, one I never
dreamt I’d feel…
But
I also never planned on Cannon Blackwell climbing aboard my tour bus.
Fall in love with the cast
of Pretty Instinct!
Meet
Cannon Blackwell, the beautiful, guitar case toting stranger picked
up off the side of the road when See You Next Tuesday (yes, the band
named C---) needs a new member...sexy, considerate and too insightful
for Lizzie’s own comfort; he works his way into “the family.”
I check my phone for the
tenth time. It’s almost 2 am, surely they’re asleep and I can
sneak to my own bed. Sleeping with Conner isn’t as fun as you might
think, unless you think being caged with a wild animal sounds like a
party.
As
quietly as possible, I slink out of the bed and through his door,
pulling it closed; halfway there.
Sending up a silent prayer I don’t meet any open, awake eyes, I
turn, relieved at the lack of spectators, and scurry to my bed. After
sharing my song tonight, I need some time to pass before I look them
in the eyes—those lyrics, the tremor in my voice as I sang—I’m
not ready for questions or commentary.
“Pssst.”
Of course I didn’t pull
off the covert bed switch undetected. This bus—40 x 8 feet—might
as well be a shoebox. I draw back the curtain, squinting my eyes
against the dimness.
“Hey,” Cannon greets me
with a whisper and grin from his bed, curtain also pulled open.
Giving
him back the smile I can’t contain, I finger wave. Has he been
waiting up for me? Was I secretly hoping he’d still be awake? Do I
want to know either answer or what it says about me? What
planet am I living on that this is now an issue?
“Here.” He scoots to the
edge of his bunk and hands across…an earbud? Eyeing him curiously,
I turn on my side, facing his way, and put it in my ear. “Shhh.”
He puts a finger over his lips then winks and slips the other bud in
his own ear, only breaking eye contact for a split second to tap the
phone screen, then reconnecting in the muted light.
“Hello, Lizzie,” his
voice sounds in my ear and as my eyes pop in surprise. He once again
does the “shhh” thing, nodding to me to just listen. “I thought
about playing you ‘You Are So Beautiful,’ but surely you already
know that. This, you may not.”
There’s a brief pause,
then music starts… It’s “Have a Little Faith in Me.”
I know I whimper aloud, but
I force my eyes to stay on his no matter how badly I want to hide
them and the building tears. Through the entire song, I stare and he
stares back, mouthing the words every once in a while. With the
closing notes, his voice returns.
“Not too corny, I hope.
Just…think about it. Sweet dreams, Lizzie.”
Apparently picking up on the
fact I’ve been rendered incapable of functioning, he reaches over
and gently removes the earbud, taps the end of my nose with his
fingertip, then closes my curtain for me.
I’ll have the corny with a
side of corny please.
S.E.
Hall is the author of the Amazon Best Selling Evolve Series, Emerge,
Embrace, Entangled (novella) and Entice as well as the bestselling
stand-alone NA Romance, Pretty Instinct. She also co-wrote Stirred
Up, an erotic short story with her CP and friend, Author Angela
Graham and is honored to be a part of the USA Today and NYT Best
Selling Devour box set. S.E., which stands for Stephanie Elaine,
resides in Arkansas with her husband of 18 years and 3 beautiful
daughters of the home, and one married daughter who graced her with
two beautiful grandchildren. When not in the stands watching her
ladies play softball, she enjoys reading and writing and the
occasional trip to the casino. She's also clutch at Baggo, when it's
warm outside, and definitely the woman to pick on your side for some
Flip Cup!
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