he ached to hear her voice and sulked without her smile to brighten his day?
She’d made her choice and it hadn’t been him.
“How have you been?” He searched her face for some sign she’d suffered as he had, lingering over the circles under her eyes and the downward turn of her mouth. To his relief she didn’t look happy, but that didn’t stop her from putting on a show.
“Things have been great. Ivy’s been busy with appearances on The Tonight Show and Ellen. She’s stoked about being asked to perform at the AMAs on the twentieth. And of course she’s really excited about working with you.”
Nate reined in his impatience, unable to believe that he was nearly back to square one with Mia. He’d spent weeks chatting her up on the tour, afraid if he pushed too fast that she’d retreat into the persona of personal assistant to Ivy Bliss. Many times he’d asked himself why he was working so hard to draw out someone who didn’t want to be noticed. Then she’d smile at him and make his entire day.
If only he could convince her to leave Ivy... Mia had more to offer the world than just being her famous sister’s flunky. For one thing, she was a ridiculously talented songwriter. When he’d discovered that she had written all the songs her sister had recorded and that she’d been denied credit on the albums, he’d been seconds away from storming into Ivy’s hotel room and demanding she go public with the truth.
Mia had been mortified. She’d claimed to be okay with the lies and Nate could understand letting the error stand for the first album, but not the subsequent one. As someone who nurtured artists, he’d been appalled by what had been done to Mia by her own family, and saddened by how she’d been bullied.
“I didn’t ask how your sister is doing. I asked about you.”
“I’m fine. Never better.” Mia could go on for hours talking about Ivy, but when it came to talking about herself, she was fond of two-word sentences.
“Tell me the truth.” He was asking after her welfare, but what he really wanted to know was if she’d missed him at all. It seemed crazy that he’d known her for less than three months and in that time she’d become like breathing to him.
“I’m great. Really.”
“What have you been doing since the tour ended?”
Mia shrugged. “The usual.”
Meaning whatever occupied Ivy was what Mia had been doing. As her sister’s personal assistant, she lived and breathed Ivy Bliss, pop princess.
“I hope she gave you a little time off.”
“Ivy was invited to a charity event in South Beach and we extended our stay a couple days to kick back and soak up some sun.”
Ivy demanded all Mia’s time and energy. That Nate had been able to spend any time at all alone with Mia during Ivy’s eight-week stint on his tour was nothing short of amazing. They’d sneaked around like teenage kids. The danger of getting caught had promoted intimacy. And at first, Nate had found the subterfuge amusing. It got old fast.
For a while Nate wondered if he’d initially been drawn to Mia because he felt compelled to rescue her from her sister’s clutches. When Mia was around Ivy, she was a quiet mouse in the corner, fetching herbal tea, being ready with Ivy’s favorite snack, loosening her tension with a quick shoulder massage. And it had bothered Nate that Ivy treated Mia like an employee instead of a sister. She never seemed to appreciate how Mia’s kind and thoughtful behavior went above and beyond the role of personal assistant.
“I don’t like the way we left things between us,” Nate declared, taking a step in her direction.
Mia took a matching step backward. “You asked for something I couldn’t give you.”
“I asked you to come with me to Las Vegas. I wanted to spend more time getting to know you.”
“It was all happening was too fast. We’d barely known each other two months.” She’d delivered the same excuse three weeks ago and it rang as hollow now as it had then. “And I couldn’t leave Ivy.”
“She could’ve found another assistant.” He’d said the same thing the morning after the tour ended. The night after she’d stayed with him until the sun crested the horizon.
Their last stop had been Sydney. Following his final encore, Nate had made sure Ivy was busy and then stolen Mia away to a romantic hotel suite overlooking the harbor. They’d sipped champagne, toasted each other, laughed and made love for the first time. But as sunlight filled the room Mia was on the phone with Ivy, making excuses for where she’d been.
“I’m not just her assistant, I’m her sister,” Mia said, now as then. “She needs me.”
I need you.
He wouldn’t repeat the words. It wouldn’t do any good. She’d still choose obligation to her sister over being happy with him. And he couldn’t figure out why.
“Your sister is a spoiled brat.” Frustration and impatience got the better of him. “The only reason I agreed to work on her album is because of you.”
Mia’s beautiful brown eyes went round with shock, and although her mouth dropped open, no words emerged.
Her phone rang, interrupting the heavy silence between them. “It’s Ivy.” She looked almost relieved by the interruption. “I should get this.”
Nate had grown weary of her sister coming between them. He crossed his arms over his chest and let sarcasm slide into his tone. “By all means, take it.”
To his surprise, she put the phone on speaker. “Hey Ivy, I’m with Nate right now and you’re on speaker.”
After a short pause, Ivy’s soprano voice came over the line. “Hi, Nate. Has Mia apologized for me missing the meeting and asked if you could meet for a drink later to chat about my album?”
Mia winced and wouldn’t meet his gaze.
“Not yet,” he answered.
“Then I’ll ask.” He could hear the seductive pout in Ivy’s tone. “Please come by my house at eight.”
He understood the invitation for what it was and barely restrained a growl. “If you wanted to talk about your album, you should’ve come by today.”
Mia’s large dark eyes went round with concern. “Don’t upset her,” she told him in sign language.
Nate pretended that he hadn’t seen the plea. While on tour they’d discovered they both knew how to sign. Something he’d used to overcome her reluctance to talk to him. That they’d shared a secret language had drawn them together.
“Didn’t Mia explain that I had a conflict? I’m meeting with a representative for Mayfair Cosmetics. It’s all hush-hush, but they’re looking for the new face to represent their beauty line.”
“Can you meet for dinner?” Mia signed, her eyes worried.
Nate reined in his temper, reminding himself the reason he’d offered to work with Ivy was so he could spend time with Mia and hopefully convince her to pick
