Chapter 30

It had taken Hope five long, lonely days to figure out what she really wanted out of life.

Her song Yearning had gone gangbusters, downloads increasing exponentially each day, with the resultant airplay and feedback equally astounding. She'd launched a new song for an unknown artist that was already climbing the indie charts, and she had enough bookings for her recording studio to keep her busy for the next year. She should be floating.

Instead, when she walked into her apartment at the end of a long day and toed off her shoes, the emptiness crashed over her. She loved her place, a sanctuary from the increasing demands of her job. Ironic, that in launching her dream, she'd achieved what she'd always wanted, an endless stream of music and almost every hour of the day filled with creative energy, yet it wasn't enough.

She craved…more.

And that more was in the shape of one very tall, very hot, very rugged, Aussie builder CEO.

So after her sixth sleepless night in a row, she instigated steps to satisfy her craving.

She knew several experienced musicians in the indie scene in Melbourne and she'd just interviewed her third for the day. She needed a part-time manager, someone to shoulder the load alongside her, freeing up more of her time to chase another dream.

Happiness.

She gave the interviewee the usual wind-up spiel and walked him to the door, leaping back in surprise when it flung open to reveal a mussed, unshaven, crazy man on the other side.

Logan.

"I'll be in touch," she said to the interviewee, managing to keep her voice from quivering when every nerve ending in her body had gone on hyper alert at the sight of Logan.

The guy nodded and skirted around Logan, who stood on her doorstep like an avenging angel, shoulders squared, heat blazing from his eyes, his hair bristling from some unseen energy force.

"What are you doing here—"

She didn't get to finish her sentence as his mouth claimed hers in a toe-curling kiss that left her clinging to him and making embarrassing pleading noises in the back of her throat. He tasted of coffee and mint, the challenge of his tongue entwining with hers so familiar she wanted to cry.

But Hope couldn't do this anymore. This weird push-pull where they ended things, then started up because of a sizzling sexual chemistry. She wanted more, and after the way she'd refused his last offer, she hoped he still did too.

Placing her hands on his chest, she pushed gently and eased her mouth from his. "Stop."

He stared at her in wild-eyed confusion, like he hadn't meant to kiss her but had got carried away. "I came here to talk but seeing you does crazy things to me."

He made loopy circles at his temple. "Completely bat-shit crazy."

She laughed and led him in, closing the door behind him. "Actually, I'm glad you're here."

"You may not be when you hear what I have to say."

He sounded ominous but Hope didn't let it discourage her. She knew what she wanted. Him.

She'd spent the last five years pushing men away, trying to prove that she didn't need anybody, that trust was over-rated and she could do just fine on her own, trying to prove that she earned her breaks and didn't get them handed to her on a silver platter despite her entitled upbringing.

In a way, that's what the recording studio was all about, her final fait accompli to show how far she'd come from a privileged life in a gentrified English manor. The pinnacle of her independent achievements, a real up-yours to the people who'd ruined her faith in everybody.

She'd achieved her dream, but at what cost if she couldn't have the man she loved?

She did love him. Wholeheartedly, unreservedly, the kind of love to make her take a risk on fully trusting again, the kind of love to inspire grand acts of passion.

Like this.

"That guy you saw on the way out? He's my new manager for the recording studio, so I can come with you sometimes when you hit the road. If you still want me too…"

His mouth gaped in shock and she continued. "All that stuff I said when you asked me to go with you still stands. This studio is my dream and I want it to flourish, but this week has been hell without you regardless of my musical success so I want to be with the man I love."

She almost whispered the last word but he heard. To her relief his face relaxed and his lips eased into a goofy grin.

"You love me." A statement, not a question, reverent, and not smug in the slightest. "That's great, because I love you too and I came here to tell you I've promoted my foreman Rick so I can stay in Melbourne for longer periods—"

Hope flung herself at him and smothered his face with smoochy kisses, laughing and almost crying at the same time. Her heart ached with joy as he wrapped his arms around her waist, picked her up, and swung her around until they were both breathless.

"So this is really happening?" He lowered her carefully until her feet touched the floor but didn't release his clamp hold on her waist.

"Yes, I want to be with you, and sticking to my principles born of fear would've left me heartbroken," she said, basking in the wondrous affection from his steady gaze.

"And before you ask, yeah, I'm a big scaredy-cat when it comes to trusting people. My folks lied about my trust fund for years, my first serious boyfriend ended up faking his feelings for an interview with my parents and breaking my heart in the process to the point I deliberately sabotaged any possible relationship since, and my oldest musician friend, Harry, who I've mentioned before, plagiarised my songs after I'd confided in him for years."

Concern gave way to outrage in his expressive eyes. "Is that the real reason you didn't agree to hit the road with me, because you don't trust me?"

She bit her bottom lip and nodded. "The thing is, I've learned to trust myself. At some point, I need to take a chance on my feelings again and I want to do that with you."

She paused, hoping he understood the enormity of what she was telling him. "I may need you to be patient with me, because it's hard for me to trust anyone completely. But I know you love me and I feel the same way about you, so let's do this."

He placed a hand over her heart. "You can trust me. I won't let you down."

"You better not," she said, giving him a playful shove. "Thanks to my past, I've been so fixated on my trust issues and fears I didn't realise I don't have to give up my independence to be with you, I just need to tweak it a little."

He nodded. "And I figured that relinquishing control of my company doesn't mean my world will become dependent on you. That I'm more fearful of failing at a relationship than making an actual commitment."

"We're a couple of goofballs," she said, unable to keep a grin off her face. "You know that, right?"

"I also know I love you and I'm sticking around to prove it."

He cupped her face and lowered his lips to hers in a tender sweep that left her blinking to stem the tears.

"We're going to be together," she murmured, awestruck that this incredible man was all hers. "All the time. On the road and here. Think you can handle that?"

"Yeah, babe, I can handle anything with you by my side." He slid his hands lower to caress her butt. "And I'm thinking of getting a grip on this handling thing, starting now."