Crazy in Love (Blue Lake #3)(67)

every piece of me,

Yesterday, today, tomorrow,

for all eternity.”

Rachael stared into his eyes as his fingers worked the guitar in his lap. He swayed, a slow dance back and forth, but his gaze never left hers. It was as if the audience didn’t exist.

Tears pooled heavy on her lashes and when she blinked, they fell to her jeans. The tempo increased as the chorus began.

“I’m a risk, a chance,” he sang, his voice a sexy rasp.

“But if you’ll stay with me,

Say you’ll stay with me…

we’ll be together, madly, crazy in love.”

Heart bursting, Rachael bit back the need to leap off the chair and charge him. But this was his moment. His time to shine.

No…wait.

This was her song. And he was her man.

As if the audience sensed the break in the song and the chemistry sparking between them, their applause increased like a tidal wave, sweeping over the stage. On a deep sigh, Rachael jumped off the barstool and ran at him. He met her, slinging the guitar over his shoulder so he could catch her in his arms. Their mouths collided in a scorching kiss that lit fire to something inside her. When they finally separated, Cole rested his forehead on hers and stroked his hands down the back of her hair.

“What’d you think?” he asked, breathless.

“The song was beautiful.”

“Thanks, but what do you think about the proposition in the song?” He kissed her again. Lighter. Softer. “Will you be with me?”

“Yes,” she whispered, raking her fingers through his hair. “I’m so in love with you.”

He exhaled heavily. “Thank God.”

Grinning, he kissed her open-mouthed, filling her with more light and joy than she’d ever known.

“We’ll figure this out,” he said, nudging his chin at the screaming crowd. “I’ll stay in Blue Lake working on a new album for awhile…as long as you have room at the inn for me.”

A tingly flush bloomed over her skin and she quickly recognized the feeling as pure bliss. “There’s plenty of room.” She sighed against his lips. “There’ll always be room for you.”


For as long as she loved Cole Turner—the warmth in her chest proved it’d be a long while—she’d welcome him into her home, her life, and her heart. And be blissfully happy, crazy, in love.





Epilogue





Three Months Later



Cole swept into the living room, a large glass of StoneMill Chardonnay in hand. He looked gorgeous, as always, wearing a pair of dark washed jeans and a classic white T-shirt. As the light from the fire flickered over the hard lines of his face, softening them with an amber glow, Rachael lost her breath.

She loved him more today than when he descended upon her small mountain town...

“You’ve been glued to the computer for the last hour.” He handed her a glass of wine and slouched into the couch beside her. “What’s got you hooked?”

She clicked the refresh button for the hundredth time and watched Crazy in Love’s iTunes downloads jump once more. He’d uploaded the live versions of Run to Him and Crazy in Love—complete with their onstage declarations of love—to iTunes the day after the concert. They’d gone viral, earning more money than all of the songs on Cole’s first record combined. She was beyond proud.

“Crazy in Love is going to hit the charts again this week,” she said, amazed. “It’s hard to believe, but your fans love the songs as much as I do.”