“Fine.” I stepped back out of his touch because I couldn’t concentrate when my heart beat stupidly fast. “You’re rich and famous.”
“Okay, those are two reasons to be my girlfriend. Really great ones, actually.” He grinned. “You’re not starting this very well.”
I pursed my lips and moved from hugging myself to folding my arms in annoyance. “You travel all the time.”
“Only during the season which is October to April. Little longer if we make the Stanley Cup playoffs. The rest of the time, I’m pretty much right here. And the travel isn’t that constant. I can come home or fly you out or we can Facetime.”
“I have a Samsung.”
“Okay, so we’ll Skype every day. Next.” He folded his arms, looking way too smug about this.
I was already running out of steam. “I have a job. I can’t just drop it to fly out and see you.”
“I get the games in advance. We can pick weekends and you can request them off.”
Shit.
“Rory will expect you to be his personal coach and show up at all his birthday parties.”
“I love Rory. I can cope with that.”
“Is there anything you haven’t thought of?”
Adam shook his head. “We already went through all the reasons we should fake break up, remember? And before you say it—I can handle the media. Just threaten to sue for harassment and they leave you alone for the most part.”
I pursed my lips.
“Run out of reasons, Red?”
“No. I’m thinking.” Think, Poppy, think. Damn it.
Ah-ha.
I had it.
“Aunt Blythe!” I pointed at him. “My family!”
He pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head. “Wow. You really don’t want to be with me, do you?”
I covered my face with my hands and laughed. “We don’t know each other that well!”
“Bullshit. We talked forever. We know tons about each other. I even know all the things you don’t like about yourself.” He held his hands out to the sides. “Come on. Admit it. You can’t think of one good reason why we shouldn’t try this for real.”
Man.
I hated it when other people were right. It really messed with my ability to argue with them.
He cupped my face again. “We’re good together and you know it, Red. And I’m not just saying this, but seriously. I’m rich. I’m famous. I’m good in bed. I am one hell of a catch.”
I closed my eyes and laughed. “I don’t even know how to respond to that.”
“You agree and say you’ll be my girlfriend.”
“This feels very high school.”
Adam laughed and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. “Jesus, you’re stubborn. Is that the hair or just a delightful trait you possess?”
“Probably a mixture of both,” I said into his chest. “Mostly a trait though. I’m sure there are nice, non-stubborn gingers out there, but I’m just saying I haven’t met one yet.” I turned my face to the side. “Do we have to decide this right now? Can’t we just see how it goes?”
“Yes, and no. I was explicitly told by Avery that if I leave this apartment and we aren’t officially together, she’s going to kill you in your sleep.” He paused. “And implicate me so I go down with her because orange isn’t her color.”
“Orange isn’t her color,” I confirmed. “I would believe her on that.”
“Noted.”
I sighed and wrapped my arms around his waist. It felt right. Like I was supposed to be here with him. Like I was made to be here. “I’m scared, Adam.”
“I know, Red.” He kissed the top of my head. “I’m scared, too. I have no idea how to make a relationship work, but I know I want to make it work with you. I believe we can.”
“Do you think we’re crazy?”
“Absolutely.” He laughed into my hair. “But you remember when we were talking on the beach on Sunday night?”
I nodded.
“I told you I’d slow down if I found the person worth slowing down for.”
I nodded again.
“I’d already found her,” he said softly. “She’s you.”
I squeezed him tight, and he did the same to me before he nudged my chin up and kissed me.
“Is that a yes?” he asked against my lips.
I kissed him again. And again. And again.
“That’s a yes.”
EPILOGUE – POPPY
Happily Ever After
ONE YEAR LATER
“I don’t like this,” I grumbled as Adam tugged me along the hall with a blindfold over my eyes. “I can’t see where I’m going.”
“That is kind of the point, Red.”
“Is this what living together will be like? If so, I want a refund.”
“You can’t. Avery already moved in with Warren and your apartment already has a tenant.” He laughed.
Without the gift of sight, that laugh was spine-tinglingly delicious.
Damn it.
“I can find another apartment.”
“On an artist’s wage?”
He had a point. I, myself, was pretty broke. Mostly because I refused to touch the inheritance my parents had finally released to me when I’d made the choice a month ago to quit my job and paint full-time.