For a brief moment I think about running away, finding some place to disappear where no one will know me, but that means leaving Levi and the thought of not being with him or even near him puts an ache in my chest.

I shouldn’t feel this way about him so soon. Days… that is how long we’ve known each other, and I’ve already given him more in a short amount of time than I did my own husband. Granted, Van and I met when we were teens, and I made him wait a year before I slept with him, but not Levi.

No, I threw myself at Levi. I never backed down and bore all for him to take or leave. He took and took greedily as if I were the fountain that kept him fed for all eternity. Yet, here I am contemplating an escape because someone took a photo of us and put it on social media.

Deep down I knew that would happen, despite what Levi said about people being cool in Nashville. No one in their right mind isn’t going to post a picture of Levi Austin out and about with some wild looking woman on his arm. I wasn’t shy about holding his hand either. Hell no, I wanted to stake my claim. Let all the women staring at him know that he chose me.

And it backfired. I let my guard down. I knew better than to kiss him in public. Holding hands is one thing, but sealing the deal is another. The moment his publicist’s voice echoed through the cab of his truck, I knew it was only a matter of time before mine would start calling. Sure enough, Laura’s deceiving face lights up my phone. Her smug smile mocks me, reminding me that I need to fire her but can’t do it unless the band is on board. Somehow I doubt that will happen.

Levi gives me a sideways glance, no doubt hoping I won’t answer the call. Nothing good can come from Laura and me speaking, especially about the picture online. As much as I don’t want to talk to her, I should, because if I don’t answer now, she won’t give up.

“Hello, Laura,” I say in a snide voice that is very unlike me. I make sure to have her on speakerphone so Levi can understand the difference between her and Barb. I know Barb isn’t fond of Levi hanging out with me, but I’d take her any day over the publicist I have.

“Play time is over, Zara.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“This whole eye for an eye thing you’re doing to Van. He gets it. He’s sorry and wants you to come home. He expects you to be there when he checks out of rehab.”

I roll my eyes as my thumb hovers over the End button on my phone. One would like to think that she would side with me, just once, over this Van bullshit, but she never will because she was all too happy to spread her legs for him.

“Is there a reason you called, Laura?”

She laughs as if I’m wasting her time. “Zara, I know you’re hurt, but this is reality. Shacking up with some random, ahem, cowboy isn’t going to make things change between you and Van.”

“He’s not random,” I say, feeling the need to correct her even though I don’t care what she thinks.

“Come home, Zara. Everyone knows you’re there now so you might as well face them on your own turf, with your own people.”

I look at Levi, who has his eyes focused on the road. I lean my head on his shoulder and sigh. He is my people. He makes me feel safe, loved and perfect. I can be me when I’m around him. He hasn’t asked me to change or to be someone I’m not, even when he tried to get me to buy cowgirl boots.

“Zara are you there?”

I almost wish I wasn’t, at least on the other end of the phone. “I’m here, Laura. Is there something you want? Unless it has to do with Reverend Sister, we really don’t have anything to talk about.”

“This attitude you have, and you wonder why Van left you,” she pauses, waiting for me to correct her, but I don’t. “The label isn’t happy, Zara. They’re afraid that your inability to forgive Van will hurt the band.”

“It’s my band.” I point out.

“But he’s the star, and you know it. If Van walks, Reverend Sister is no more.”

She’s right, but I refuse to believe her. Levi kisses the top of my head as we pull into his driveway. There’s a car there, likely belonging to his housekeeper.

“Come home, Zara. You know it’s the right thing to do. No man is worth losing your record deal or band over.” She hangs up, leaving me speechless. I’m afraid to look at Levi, unsure of what I’ll see when I do.

He opens the truck door and slides out, bringing me with him. I’m flush with his body as he presses me up against the side of the truck. Levi’s arms encase me. “Close your eyes, Zara.”

I do as he says and pucker my lips, but his never press against mine.

“Now pretend I’m not here, that what we shared last night and into this morning hasn’t happened. Think about the day before you met me, and what it would’ve been like if I hadn’t spilled my coffee on you. Think about your home in Bel Air with your swimming pool and favorite coffee shop down the street. Think about your brother and other band members.”

I do as he asks and hate the way I feel. Something deep down tells me that I’m supposed to know Levi, that he and his girls are meant to be a part of my life.

“Now, tell me how you feel.”

“Empty,” I say with my eyes still closed. “Alone.” This time I open my eyes and find Levi even closer. My hand instantly goes to his cheek and my thumb brushes over his lips. “Not happy.”

“Are you happy here?”

“I am. It’s peaceful, tranquil, and most importantly, you’re here, and this is where I want to be. I have no regrets, Levi.”

He kisses me fully, pulling my legs up to hitch around his hips so he can grind into me. The hardness of the truck pushes into my back, and I cry out but hold on to him because I don’t want him to stop. We’re all hands, tongues, and dry humping until someone behind us is clearing their throats.

Levi sets me down, waiting until my feet are firmly planted on the ground before turning to face the intruder.

“Barb, I didn’t see your car here.”

“It’s in the shop,” she says as she leans slightly to the left to see me. I feel like I’ve been caught by my mother doing something I shouldn’t be doing. “Hello, Ms. Phillips.”

“Please, call me Zara.”

“Very well. I’m here to do damage control or something,” she says, giving off a flippant wave before returning to the house.

Levi faces me again with a shit-eating grin on his face. “When I was seventeen my mother walked in on Iris and I having sex. I wasn’t as embarrassed as I am now.”

I can’t help but laugh. “Me either. She’s definitely a mother hen.”

“You have no idea.” He takes my hand and leads me into the house. Barbara is sitting at his large table with her hands folded as if this were a parent/teacher conference. Levi and I take seats next to each other, holding hands under the table.

“Right, let’s get started. Zara, I took the liberty of looking up your publicist. I’ve been around a long time and haven’t had the privilege of working with her--”

“You’re not missing anything.”

“Right… anyway, sign this for me, please. It’s a consent that I can contact her on behalf of you and Levi when something like this arises.”

“Can you be her voice when it affects us?” Levi asks. “We’d much rather have you speak on our behalf than her publicist.”

“Is that what you want?” Barbara looks at me, and I nod. “Very well. We are releasing a statement. I know it’s early, but I want to beat the vultures.”

“Saying what?” I ask.

“Mr. Austin and Ms. Phillips met last month in Los Angeles while he was tending to his children after their mother’s untimely death. Ms. Phillips is vacationing in Tennessee at this time.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes, simple and to the point. I can add something about your divorce if you’d like,” Barb says. Her pen is poised and ready for action. I look at Levi, who shrugs.

I think about having her add something about my divorce, but I don’t know what. The last thing I want is for people to think that Levi is a rebound because he’s not. I shake my head, letting her know that what she has is okay. Although, I’m not sure she believes me because she gives me a skeptical look that has me questioning my sanity.

“Will you be traveling back to Los Angeles when Levi fetches the children?”

He looks at me with a soft smile. I hadn’t decided, but imagine arrangements needs to be made. “I think I’ll stay and make sure the girls’ rooms are ready.” Levi kisses me quickly and whispers “thank you” over my lips.

“Fine,” Barbara says. “Your flight is ready to leave at six am. Your mother says the girls are packed and ready.”

“When is my return trip?”

“The red-eye,” she says, making me realize that I will only be without Levi for a day. I think I can handle that.

It doesn’t take long for Barb to excuse herself, except she doesn’t leave. She disappears down the hall. “Where’d she go?”

“To my office,” Levi says. “She’ll finish up what I need her to while she’s here.”

“Oh…” For some reason, I feel let down that she’s still here. Secretly, I think I was hoping for some alone time with Levi, not that we need it right now, but it would be nice. I’m not shocked when he takes my hand and drags me out of the house and toward the barn. In fact, I’m downright giddy, thinking that we’ll roll around in the hay like a couple of naughty school kids.

It’s only after he stops in front of Night’s stall that I realize what we’re doing. I look down at the way I’m dressed and shake my head. “I’ll be right back. I’m going to go change.”

He pulls me to him, placing his lips against mine. “Hurry,” he tells me as he releases me. I do hurry, running all the way back to the house, grateful that Barbara isn’t sitting there. Once I’m out of my fishnet stockings and dressed somewhat appropriately for horseback riding, I run back outside to find Levi standing there with just Night.

“No horse for me?”

He shakes his head. “I thought we’d ride tandem.”

I go to him and rise up on toes to give him a kiss. “Are you sure?”

Levi chuckles. “I have never been so sure before.”

He helps me onto Night, who moves slightly under my weight. When Levi settles in behind me, I wish that I had changed into a thinner fabric so I could feel him behind me. With his arms on my sides, he motions for Night to start walking.

“This is different.”

“This is the best,” he says as his lips press against the curve of my neck. I pull my hair over to the side, giving him as much space as possible.

“When we get to the pond, we’re going skinny dipping.”

“Sounds like a plan.”

He nips at my skin and laughs. “I’m sure you know what will come next.”

“You?” I say, turning slightly to give him a wink.