“What?”
“That the both of you would stop worrying about the other.”
It was a fair point, but one that wouldn’t come true. Ru knew that Simone had caught my attention. There would be no way that I’d step out of Simone’s life, which would annoy the fuck out of Ru. And personally, I liked the idea of her firing him, but I had to approach the topic carefully.
Simone was strong-willed and independent. She reminded me of my mother in that sense. Dad couldn’t tell Mom what to do with her career. Even though he hated certain slime ball directors and producers, he trusted Mom to handle her life and only stepped in when she asked. I wished I could be more like him, but as a child, I’d always been reprimanded for not sharing.
“I won’t stop worrying about Ru,” I said. “But I won’t bother you about him. Can we agree to that?”
“That’s fair.”
“What else did he tell you that made you worry?”
She shook her head. “I feel silly even bringing it up.”
“But it’s on your mind just the same.”
She sighed. “Ru said that he’s seen this situation before where usually the guy starts having sex with the singer/songwriter and begins to not want to share her. Eventually, her main purpose is writing a few songs only for him as she’s taking care of him. Finally, she ends up becoming the guy’s sex toy or wife. Either way, her career ends.”
“And what’s his proof of this?”
She shrugged. “Over half of the relationships in the industry.”
I thought about the married ones I knew. Besides my parents and Jason’s, I didn’t personally know a lot of power couples. Ru had a point, of course. Most of the guys I hung with had married woman that catered solely to them. Half of the women ended their blossoming careers to wear the ring and get the last name.
I smiled. “You’re not that type of woman, Simone. I couldn’t stop you from pursuing your career. Neither could Ru or anyone else. I told you before, we’re lucky to have found you, but you’re going to be a star whether we help or not.”
She looked like she was relaxing for the first time that evening. “Thank you for saying that.”
“You control your destiny in the end.”
“I think I needed to be reminded of that. Ru had nothing but negativity.”
“Perhaps, he has a few points.”
“Like?”
“I don’t want to share you, but what Ru doesn’t get is that I know I have no authority over anything you do.” I reached across the table, taking her hands in mine. “So, ignore him. There’s nothing about us that anyone can guess or foretell. Our future steps are up to us.”
“And what are our future steps?”
I was scared to answer her. She probably wanted us to take it slow, while I wanted to fast forward to moving her in. The whole time she’d been with him and his meeting, I was thinking she should move in. We could finish my album and then work on hers and then...anything else that came to mind.
I rubbed my thumb briefly across the soft knuckles of her hands before turning her palm upward and caressing it. “I want you. All of you. Your heart, voice, body, soul. Everything. And I want to give all of me to you. Everything I own. Everything I can offer. That’s how I feel.”
Her words came out low and shaky. “Do you really?”
Even though the men played their violins and the restaurant staff silently moved around the space, for me, the room went still, leaving just Simone and me.
“Princess,” I tried to keep the desperation out of my voice, “I would give you anything if it meant that you would remain with me forever.”
Our gazes met. In her eyes, I saw the same passion that had flowed when we’d made love last night.
“Ru can say whatever he wants.” I brushed my fingertips along her palm. “He can show a diagram, presenting all of the statistical data he’s found on douchebags in the industry.”
She grinned.
“He could buy a building, house, car, plane, yacht, whatever to hide you from me or take you away, but still I would be right here, waiting, begging, hoping.”
She bit her bottom lip, and I wanted to pull her into my arms and suck on it myself.
“Ru can’t predict what I will do because he’s never seen me in love.”
She widened her eyes.
“In fact,” I admitted, “I’ve never seen me in love either. This is my first time, but I know it to be true.” I touched my chest with my free hand. “Every inch of my core feels different when I’m around you. And when you’re gone, I swear I feel empty. Have you ever felt that way?”
“I did today when I was with Ru. I hated the things that he was predicting would happen to us. I hated the thought of you possibly trying to break my heart.”