Free Surprised By You (The By You Series) by Kelly Harper Page A

both of his arms.
    “We never get to spend time together anymore.”
    I dipped and ducked to snatch my own clothes while trying to maintain some semblance of dignity. Haden moved closer and wrapped his huge arms around me as I clutched the clothes tight to my chest. I couldn’t help but notice the bulge still in his jeans.
    “We’ll have more time to ourselves, soon.”
    The corner of his mouth turned up into a faint smile. I shook my head, feeling selfish.
    “I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s your big day, you shouldn’t be worrying about me.”
    “Don’t say that, you know you’re the center of my world. You know, Green Falls isn’t far from New Orleans… Maybe we should pay your family a visit?”
    (You see what I’m talking about? This guy is too sweet to me. You can’t make this stuff up.)
    I beamed up at him.
    “Promise?”
    “Promise.”
    He pressed another deep kiss into my lips and I wanted to melt into him. Even after almost two years he could still make me swoon. A guy shouldn’t have that kind of power over a girl for so long, who’s to say how he’ll abuse it?
    It’s just not safe.
    When we broke apart, I put on my clothes while he grabbed the rest of his stuff.
    “Hey babe, have you seen my guitar?”
    My insides froze.
    “Your guitar?”
    Crap! He knows everything!
    Haden shuffled things around in the tiny closet, as though the guitar might be hiding in a corner. I already knew it wasn’t. I knew, because I’d snuck it to my cousin, Sarah.
    “The one you gave me,” he said, as though I didn’t know which guitar he was talking about. (Actually, he does have quite a few, now that I think about it.) “I haven’t seen it since we got to Nawlins.”
    I cringed.
    “Why do you keep calling it that?”
    His brow rose, innocently.
    “What? Nawlins?”
    “I don’t even think the locals call it that.”
    He held his palms out to the side and leaned forward.
    “Babe, I’m a rock star. We start trends, we don’t follow them.”
    I shook my head, still cringing.
    “Start a different one. That one is tacky.”
    He waved a hand at me, dismissively.
    “Anyways, have you seen the guitar? I’m getting worried about it.”
    Seriously, the man is like a bloodhound when it catches a scent. He could go weeks without playing that guitar, but now he needs it with him at all times? How is it possible that one man can be so infuriating?
    “Maybe a roadie took it for the set?”
    “Maybe…”
    I needed to act quickly or he was going to get extra suspicious. The last thing I needed was an extra suspicious Haden Cooper all up in my grill. I just needed him to do his own thing for a few hours while I got my big surprise all worked out.
    I moved closer to him. His long hair was soft to my touch as I forced his gaze on me. His big hands wrapped around mine and he gave me a warm smile.
    “How did I get so lucky to find you?” I asked.
    “Don’t say things like that. Do you want me blushing for Rolling Stone ?”
    “What if I do?”
    “Then I guess they’ll have to use extra makeup.”
    My stomach erupted in butterflies as he leaned down and pressed another kiss into me. I wanted to get lost in the kiss, and I could feel him slipping into it, too. It was perfect.
    Time for Rock Number Two. The Universe can be even more infuriating than a man when it wants to be.
    The door banged opened again as a thin, young blonde came bounding onto the bus. Her eyes were focused on the piece of paper in her hand, oblivious to the world around her.
    “ Leland’s said it should be ready by four,” she called out, still looking at the paper.
    My insides twisted in panic.
    “ Sarah! ” I barked.
    My little cousin’s big round eyes snapped up, startled. Then they darted over to Haden as her cheeks turned a bright shade of red.
    “Leland’s?” Haden asked. “Isn’t that the famous guitar shop in town?”
    The entire world stilled around me. That was it. My big surprise was going to be ruined before I