Free Blue Twilight by Sarah King Page A

up.
    “But,” she interrupted, “we need to take this slow. I need some time to…adjust—to get to know you better.”
    Jake flipped her hand over and kissed her palm. “I understand.”
    Ignoring the butterflies currently taking flight in her stomach, she decided to go for broke. “Can I ask you for something then?”
    “Anything.”
    Here goes nothing. “Just don’t lie to me,” Lisa said softly, looking down. “If you find that you don’t want me anymore—”
    “I don’t see that happening,” Jake cut in with a smile.
    “Just tell me,” she continued. “But please , no more lies, no more secrets.” Holding her breath, she waited for his answer.
    “I promise.”
    She glanced up at the crack in his voice. But before she could ask him about it, he drew her into his arms and kissed her senseless. Any questions she had wanted to ask were scattered to the far corners of her mind.
    Later, Jake had her snuggled against him as he kissed behind her ear. “So, I guess this makes you my girlfriend, huh?” he asked in a husky voice.
    She could practically see her subconscious doing cartwheels over the title, but no way she’d let him know that. “What are you, twelve?” she asked with a giggle.
    He chuckled as he nipped her earlobe. “Twenty-seven, actually.” Pushing her away, he crossed his arms and pretended to pout. “Does that mean you don’t want to be my girlfriend?”
    Lisa put a finger to her chin as she pretended to debate it. Smiling, she finally conceded. “Well, I guess…but only if you answer a question for me.”
    “Ask me anything, angel.”
    Bouncing in her seat, she glanced up at him through her eyelashes. “When’s your next CD coming out?”
    Jake laughed and lunged for her. He tickled her sides as he teased her in a high voice “Oh my God, it’s Ryder ! Can I have your autograph?”
    When he finally released her and the giggles subsided, she grabbed her soda from the table. “But seriously, any plans?” Taking a sip, she waited with baited breath for his answer.
    “I’m not sure. How soon can you help me get started?”
    Wait…what?! Choking on her soda, she began to cough violently.
    Jake hit her back until her coughs subsided. “Are you alright?”
    Still breathing heavily, she wheezed out, “You can’t be serious.”
    As he leaned back, Jake shook his head. “Angel, didn’t we already establish that I think you’re incredibly talented?”
    Lisa blew the hair out of her face as her heart raced. “But you…I…can’t…” Putting her head between her legs, she took deep breaths trying to keep the panic at bay.
    Kneeling in front of her, Jake pulled her head up. “You can,” he said emphatically. “I believe in you.”
    To have anyone believe in her writing was amazing. But to have the biggest country music star in the world believe in her? That was the stuff dreams were made of. In theory, it should be the easiest thing in the world for her to agree. Write a song with her favorite singer for his new album? Yes, please! But as quickly as the thought came, another chased it away. What if they couldn’t work together? Was she willing to lose her newfound relationship with Jake over it?
    Tapping her head, Jake said “I can practically see the wheels turning up here. Tell me what you’re thinking so hard about.”
    Lisa gnawed on her lip. “What if we can’t work together? What happens then?”
    “It won’t come between us,” he promised. “I won’t let it.”
    Still unconvinced, she asked, “How can you be so sure?”
    After sitting down next to her, he pulled her onto his lap and explained. “When I decided to take Hank on as my manager, we’d already been friends for years. We don’t always see eye to eye, but at the end of the day, I trust him to do what’s best for me. It’d be the same for us. We may not always agree on everything, but you will just have to put some faith in me and know that I’ll do everything I can to get your songs