Connected: Part 4 of the On The Edge Series

Once the seatbelt light was off, Billy and I unbuckled and melted into each other. I curled into a ball at his side with my head resting on his shoulder while one hand tucked beneath me and the other braided and unbraided with my fingers as we spoke in hushed tones that drew us closer.

"Flying private isn't that bad," I admitted as we neared Portland.

"It has its benefits." He smiled as his lips gently met mine for a demure kiss.

"Mmhmm," I murmured with my eyes closed as I let the memory of his lips linger on mine.

"Are you truly okay with the car and the office?" He asked while I was in my vulnerable stupor.

"Mmhmm," I absently said. Instead, my mind focused on the warmth that shot up my arm as his hand played with my fingers.

"And the tour? You'll still join me?"

"Every stop," I readily agreed.

He sunk to my neck and peppered it with kisses for a moment. He didn't lift far from my skin when he spoke next, so his lips tickled as they parted. "And you're okay with being a part of Viv's and Jackson's lives."

"I love them, Billy. I always have. I'm not a mom, though."

"Good, because they already have one of those." I could feel his lips curl as they brushed over my skin. "What else could derail us now, Lil? What worries you in the quiet moments when you stare out the window for a moment too long?"

"I don't have worries about us."

He pulled away, hearing my tone, and immediately drew to the correct conclusion. "You worry about me?"

"I do." I let a hand slip to his face and brushed his erratic hair away from his eye. "I worry about you every moment of every day. No safety rating on a car or office across the hall will stop my worry."

"I'll always be faithful to you, Lil. If that's why you think you need to come on tour."

I let out an unencumbered laugh. "Oh, Billy, I've never once in my entire life worried about you being faithful."

"Then what?"

"You take all the burden on yourself, and you don't have to."

"What? Is this the Tim thing, the complaints about work?"

"It's not just Tim, but yes. I want to ensure that you put yourself first every and let others help you once in a while."

"Lil, I know that you're worried about me. I always see it in your face, but I promise you I'm fine."

I let out an enormous sigh.

"Honestly, you're the most stressful part of my life. As if you ever wanted to carry your own luggage." I wouldn't let his humor diffuse the moment.

"Is that true? Am I stressing you out?"

"I was just kidding, Lil." As he spoke, he squeezed me. "Now, buckle up for the descent."

I tucked myself beneath Billy's arm as the cab took us to my condo. The driver kept eyeing Billy. I stifled a laugh as I could see questions swirl in his eyes. I wanted to answer them so he'd stop with the awkward glances. Yes, this is Billy Collins, that Billy Collins. Yes, he's in your cab in Portland, Maine. This is one of his favorite cities, and he has been here many times. No, he doesn't have a concert booked; he's in town for personal reasons. My thoughts then clung to personal reasons. I was the personal reason; my dad was the personal reason.

"Hey," Billy murmured down to me with a squeeze of my shoulders. "You okay?"

"Mmhmm, just a little chilly," I shrugged.