I knew Ryan cared, but he was also getting a bit controlling.

“Yeah, there was a driver waiting,” I whispered. I heard Kyle chuckle. “Everything is fine.”

“You don’t sound fine!” he pressed. “What’s wrong?”

My love knew me well enough to call me out on a lie. “Nothing. My sinuses hurt - must be from the flight. How about I call you when I get dropped off at home? Is that okay? Then we can talk.”

Kyle started laughing out loud when I snapped my cell phone shut. “Mr. Christensen checking up on you?” he teased.

I gave him a dirty look. “He’s concerned, that’s all. Besides, he cares enough to make sure I’m taken care of.”

“Sounds to me like he’s getting a little possessive!”

“Maybe he feels that I’m worth possessing!” I fired back.

Kyle fidgeted in his seat. “Yeah, he’s right. I can’t fault him for that one.”

He drove down the alley, stopping by the back doors of my building. For the first time in a long time there were no paparazzi, no fans, no one near my doors. The relief I felt was refreshing. Kyle carried my suitcase into the hallway; there was no way I’d allow him in the apartment.

“Thanks, but I can carry it. Please just set it down.” I rubbed my cheek again. My face was starting to hurt for some reason. “Thank you for the ride home.”

“Yeah, sure - no problem. Ahh, so, are you going to be open tonight?” Kyle asked.

“Yes. That’s why I came home. I still have a business to run.” I looked at my watch, noting that I had three hours to rest before starting another long night behind the bar.

I walked him out into the alley, hoping to send him on his way quicker. Kyle pushed the trunk of his car closed and smiled.

He held his arms open, silently asking for a hug goodbye. My body responded without me even thinking about it, dragging me unconsciously into the danger zone.

“It was nice seeing you again.” He grinned, locking his eyes on mine. “I’ll see you soon.”

I towed my suitcase into the bedroom and dropped everything, including my coat, on the floor. Our bed looked so soft and inviting and the desire to lay down for a few minutes was overwhelming. I snuggled up on my pillow and pulled Ryan’s pillow to my chest, catching his familiar scent and wishing he was lying next to me. I’ll just close my eyes for a minute… My head sprang off the pillow when I heard my cell phone.

“Taryn! What’s going on?” Ryan shouted. “Where are you?”

“Shit! What time is it?” I looked over at my clock. It was quarter of four. I sat up quickly; my head felt like it weighed forty pounds and my throat burned. “I fell asleep on our bed,” I murmured. “I’m sorry I didn’t call.”

He was irritated. “You couldn’t call me quick before you laid down?”

“I said I’m sorry,” I repeated forcefully through my sore throat. “I think I’m getting a cold. My nose is all blocked up. I feel awful.”

“You sound sick, Honey. I’m sorry. I was just worried.”

“I have fifteen minutes to pull myself together before I have to open,” I groaned. That’s when my sneezing fit started.

Marie was already behind the bar when I went downstairs. Cory came in a few moments later. Both of them would be working Friday night; I had a band scheduled to play. Marie’s grin twisted to a concerned stare when she spotted the wad of tissues in my hand. I wasn’t in the bar for more than a few minutes before she turned me by the shoulders and sent me packing for my apartment.

“I’ll wait to hear about your trip when you’re not contagious. We got this,” she insisted. “Cory and I will be all right. Go, and take your germs with you!”

I curled up on my couch with a box of tissues and my quilt and drifted back to sleep.

I woke up when the band started playing down in the pub. The reverb from the sound system made my pictures vibrate on the wall.

“How are things going?” I asked Marie. It hurt to swallow. I looked around at the crowd in the pub. Pete waved to me from his stool by the front door.

Her eyes stealthily slid back and forth. “Kyle is in the poolroom shooting pool,” she informed. “What the heck is he doing here? He already asked for you once!”

I rubbed my face with both of my hands. “He drove me home from the airport.”

“What?” she yelled. “How the hell did that happen?”

“He saw the pick-up assignment and volunteered. I’m in so much trouble.”

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