Sweet Solace (The Seattle Sound Series Book 1) by Alexa Padgett Page B

lucky bastard. What I didn’t tell you was how much I loved and hated that you were Doug’s girlfriend.” I scratched the side of my head. “Loved it because you were at so many of the practices. But I wanted to talk to you. I knew I shouldn’t. But I did. I always did.”
    The pulse in her neck sped up. She wrapped an arm around her waist. “You can’t say this to me now.”
    “I should’ve said it then. I wanted you, Dahlia. I dreamed about you. Fantasized you dumped Doug and slept in my bed.”
    Her eyes were huge, her face so pale. I pressed my thumb to that spot at the base of her neck. She inhaled sharply.
    “I had to leave,” I said. “The band. I wanted you enough that I was willing to fight for you. I did.”
    “What?”
    “Doug knew how I felt about you. He taunted me about the fact you’d just moved in with him. How he was going home to you. I went after him but Bill stopped me.” Bill, my best buddy even then. He’d left Cactus Arrow and helped me form the Supernaturals.
    The elevator chimed. We were at the top floor. The doors opened. Neither of us moved. We started the descent back to the lobby.
    “That’s why I left the band. I was too old for you then. Hell, I’m probably too old for you now. But I always— always —wanted you.”
    The doors slid open. Four young women entered.
    “Oh, my God! You’re Asher Smith,” one squealed.
    Turning toward the ladies, I smiled. I managed to sign a paper for each of them, sidestepping their overt offers for a drink and easy sex.
    The whole time, Dahlia stood in the corner. Her knuckles white where she gripped her bag, her eyes huge.
    She deserved to know she was the one woman who’d stuck with me all these years. Seeing her again had just reinforced how much I wanted her. That desire was still there, buried under the years of poor decisions and too many memories I wished I could forget.
    We collected another few people on the elevator. I moved back to stand next to Dahlia. She didn’t move closer this time. She didn’t look at me. I didn’t try to touch her again. Much as I wanted to push for more, Dahlia needed to come to her own conclusions about us.
    When we arrived at the lobby, I waited for her to exit the car and followed her to the parking garage. She pulled her keys from her purse, her mouth in a firm line that spelled trouble.
    “I’d like to work with you, Asher,” she said, her voice steady. “I want to help you with your son. But I can’t be some ideal. I’m not the same woman I was eighteen years ago.”
    “I know that.” But did I? I paused. She’d been my dream for so long. What if the real woman now couldn’t live up to my memories of her?
    “I need to go,” she said, her shoulders folded in. I hated seeing her so defeated.
    “I want to ask you something. Will you answer me?”
    She tugged at the ends of her hair and shuffled back, giving herself the emotional space she was trying to build between us. I got that—it was smart. I was in a bad place emotionally. I shouldn’t push this. I knew I shouldn’t. But like so many of my decisions, I was compelled to push forward.
    “Did you feel it, too? The attraction between us? Isn’t that why you liked my music?”
    She sucked in a breath. Then another. I stepped in, but she held up her hand. “I’m not panicking.” When she lifted her eyes, they were dark with concern. “Yes. I did. I still do. But I could destroy your chance at custody of your son if I can’t fulfill my contract.” Her pleading eyes met mine. “Let me focus on our career goal first. Please.”
    She slid into her SUV and shut the door. I turned toward my car, knowing she wasn’t going to give me anything further right now.
    She’d already given me more than I deserved.

7
    Dahlia
    “ H ow’d the meeting go ?” Ella asked when I opened the door.
    “Good. I think it’s going to work out well. As long as I can figure out an ending they’ll like for the series.” I tried to stretch out my