"Why are you standing there and not here next to me?" He crooked a finger and called her over.
She looked at the band, who waited for Alex to take his seat at the drums. "You've got a concert to perform."
"I do, but my priorities are straight now, and I've got a woman to kiss." His words echoed over the loudspeaker. "Get over here and kiss me, Mercy. I can't live another minute without a taste of you on my lips."
There was a collective sigh from the audience.
Mercy moved toward Alex. She didn't have a demonstrative personality. She preferred the sidelines to the limelight but couldn't pass up an opportunity to kiss him.
Like Maddie, she flung herself into his open arms. When his mouth covered hers, the world silenced, and only his taste, scent, and love existed. She was in Alex's arms and wanted to stay there.
He ended the kiss much too quickly. "Stay right there because I've got a surprise for you." He kissed her again before he moved back to his drums.
She stayed nearby with Maddie in front of her while they watched and listened.
A thousand hearts broke the moment he kissed her. In front of God and the world, Alex told everyone he loved her. Each song they played, he stared at her with such adoration that she understood what it was that drew every woman to him. It wasn't his looks, even though he was hotter than Hades. He had a smile that could disintegrate the panties off a woman, but that's not what drew her in. It was his heart. It wasn't always easy to do the right thing at the right time, and yet, here he was.
As the concert came to an end, Alex left the drums. He wrapped one arm around her and the other around Maddie and led them to the front of the stage.
Samantha smiled at him and handed over her guitar. Red rushed forward with a chair that Mercy thought Alex would take, but he didn't. Alex led her to it and lifted Maddie into her lap before turning to the crowd.
"I'd like to introduce the two most important women in my life. They both arrived unexpectedly, as most surprises do." He ruffled the hair on Maddie's head. "This is my daughter, Maddie. She's a brilliant and beautiful young lady." He took in a big breath. "I thought I was the one that could offer her everything, but I was wrong. She came into my life and brought the sun with her, and nothing lives without that. She gives me more than I could ever return." He settled the guitar over his neck and adjusted the strap. "The beautiful woman with my daughter is Mercy, and Lord have mercy on my heart when it comes to her." He kissed her forehead and dropped to his knees. "She once told me she wanted a love song, so here it is."
He plucked the notes on the guitar and strummed a soft ballad.
His voice was whiskey smooth and velvety soft, and she stared into his eyes while he sang her a love song.
There is no love without you.
You're the something I never knew I needed. Like a warm embrace or a smile across your face.
You're the sigh at the end of a breath. I want to give you my all until there's nothing left.
You belong with me. Let's live together side by side in the place where our hearts collide.
I have no use for love unless it comes from you.
When he finished, he waited, but she couldn't see him through her tears.
She swiped at the joy spilling from her eyes.
"You wrote that for me?"
He handed the guitar back to Samantha, who nodded toward Griffin. "Let's finish this with one of my favorites. It's called 'Lucky,' and I wrote it when I met my husband, Dalton." She glanced at Mercy, Maddie, and Alex. "Looks like someone else is getting lucky."
"That's your hint to leave," Dalton said. "Get out of here before the crowd dissipates."
Alex picked up Maddie and led Mercy down the steps. They wove through the crowd, not stopping once until they got to his SUV, and as soon as they were all safely inside, he turned to her.
"I'm so sorry."
She couldn't imagine what for. "Don't you dare take back that love song."
He drove off and placed his hand over hers. "Not in a million years. I love you, Mercy, and I'm going to write you a million more songs."
"What about me, Daddy, will you write me a song too?"
"You bet, squirt."
"Why didn't you tell us you were coming home for the concert?"
He squeezed her hand. "I didn't come for the concert. I came home for you and Maddie. It's incredibly hard to live without my heart."
"Where are we going?"
"Home."
"Whose home?"
He pulled her hand to his lips, nearly pulling her over the center console. "Mercy, wherever you are is home to me. You tell me where you want to go."
"There's food at my house."
He turned down Daisy Lane. "Are you trying to speak to my baser needs?"
She giggled. Who knew that a schoolteacher from Aspen Cove could speak to any of his needs? "If we're going straight to your baser requirements, I'm not sure food will fill those."
He let out a little growl. "You're right." He parked the car and helped them out. With Maddie in his arms, he led them up the walkway. "Hey, Mads, let's play for a while, and after that, would you like to have a sleepover at Ms. Louise's?"
Maddie danced around him. "Can I bring my Barbie?"
"Anything you want."
Three hours later, they were alone.
"When does the tour start?"
He chuckled. "Right now." He swept her into his arms and carried her to her bed.
After slowly stripping off her clothes, he started at her feet and worked his way up her body, spending long minutes playing her like one of his instruments, and oh, how he made her sing.
Several hums left her
