Chapter Thirty-One

I'm in shock. I can't believe I just did that. In front of all of those people. In front of all of those cameras.

It's too late now though. The damage is done.

Part of me is dreading what's to come from that but the other part of me feels this overwhelming sense of relief. That finally putting something like that out there means I'm free to live my life instead of hiding from the cameras.

I'm letting my anxiety run wild with everything that happened like it always does when I see him.

He comes quickly around the corner and then he's there. Only a few feet away from me.

Instantly, I know I made the right choice. The moment we make eye contact, a goofy grin takes over my face. Within a second, he's running towards me. I hobble towards him, afraid to run in my heels but also wanting to get to him as quickly as possible.

The next thing I know, I'm in his arms. He tightens his grip around me as he lifts me into the air. I start giggling.

"What was that about, Popstar?" Archer whispers in my ear.

Shivers run up my spine as I feel his breath on my skin. In a flash of courage, I turn my head towards him and kiss him on the cheek. He slowly lowers me until my feet are back on the floor. With one arm still tightly around my waist, he grabs my face with his other hand and turns me towards him. Before I can get a word out, his lips are on mine.

There is one brief second where I pause, worried about who may be around watching, but then I'm pulled into the kiss. I instantly match his rhythm.

The kiss starts slow but quickly grows in intensity. His lips seem to be trying to memorize every inch of mine. I push myself up on my tiptoes, pressing my lips harder against his. My hands wind into his hair.

The rest of the world disappears. It's just me and him. Standing here. Our bodies intertwined. And I don't think I've ever been happier than I am in this moment.

"Well, I guess that answers my question," Willow says as she looks down. I follow her gaze to where Archer's hand is tightly wrapped around mine, his thumb drawing circles on the top of my hand.

I look back up at her and shrug as a smile starts to grow across my face. Willow starts walking towards us.

"Would've been nice of you to tell your best friend before you basically tell the world that you're together." She playfully slaps me on the shoulder. I shrug at her, still at a loss for words. She leans towards me. "I want all of the details later." I nod. "Now, go you two. Before you're flooded by people who have questions you don't want to answer yet. I'm sure you have a lot to talk about." She winks at me as she slinks away.

I turn towards Archer. "She's right you know. We do have a lot to talk about." I look down nervously at our hands.

I know if Archer and I are going to be together, I need to finally tell him everything that's going on with me.

"Of course." Archer pulls our combined hands up and kisses my hand before he starts pulling me behind him.

We quickly make our way through the horde of people. Archer grabs his phone from his pocket and types something out before slipping it back in his pocket.

Once we are finally outside and out of the crowded room, I take in a big breath of fresh air. The chill of the air calms my nerves a bit.

"Your getaway car," Archer says as he flourishes his hand towards the vehicle. He opens the door and grabs the bottom of my dress, holding it up so I can get in the car.

"Thanks, Romeo." I smile up at him as he slides in next to me.

We don't say much on the ride back. I have a lot that I want to say. Actually, that I need to say, but I want to wait until we are really in private.

Once we pull up to my room, Archer jumps out of the car to open the door for me. He walks me to my room and then awkwardly stands there, I'm assuming waiting for me to say something. He nervously runs his hand through his hair. I stand there, pretending I don't know what he's waiting for. Finally he cracks.

"Can I . . . um . . . come in?" he asks, looking at a spot on the wall behind me clearly trying to avoid my eyes.

"Oh, that's what you want? I thought you had a stomachache or something." I turn towards the door to unlock it, smiling.

Archer wraps his hands around me from behind and starts tickling me. "You're evil. You know that?"

"Moi?" I ask, putting my hand on my chest. "I believe I've been called America's Sweetheart by many news outlets."

"Oh, right, how can I forget?" Archer laughs as I finally get the door open.

He kisses the side of my neck as he pushes me through the doorway and pulls the door closed behind us. I carefully spin myself so that I'm still in his arms but facing him. I decide in that moment that this is now my favorite place to be. Safe and in his arms.

I don't know when Archer became my safe place, but he did. Slowly but surely, he began to feel like the home I'm missing when I'm on tour. The home I might have been missing for a long time. Hopefully, he feels that way about me after I tell him this.

I let out a breath of air as I lean my head against his chest, working up the courage to say what I have to say next.

"You wanted to talk," Archer says against the top of my head.

"There's something I need to tell you."