“Because you’re Alex Fucking Chase.”

I knew better than to argue with that or try to convince her. It was impossible to understand what it was like to be this famous until you’d lived it.

Instead, I asked, “Do you know why I love it here so much?”

She shook her head.

“Because it makes me feel small. The stars. The desert. The timelessness of it all. When I feel like I’m starting to believe the hype or losing touch with reality, I come here to ground myself. When I’m climbing, the rock doesn’t give a shit how famous I am or what I got paid for my last movie or whether Callum Kent stole another part from me. I can clear my head and remember that none of it really means anything. No matter how big a deal I am in that constructed reality, out here I don’t matter.”

She was quiet for a long time before she said, “I think I know the feeling you’re chasing even if I can’t relate to any of the rest of it. I get it sometimes when I’m working with people. This reminder that for millennia, humans have been grappling with their identities and their sexuality and that absolutely nothing I’m seeing from people is really new even if it feels completely unique. It’s the feeling that the world is so much bigger than you…and that’s a good thing.”

“You get it completely.”

Did she make everyone feel so understood? Is this why everyone was drawn to her or was what existed between us special?

Everyone seemed to love her. Hell, my own brothers were half in love with her after one dinner. They’d both called to make sure she was okay, and those assholes never picked up the phone. Her friends loved her enough to be fiercely protective. Her ex clearly wasn’t ready to let her move on. Her clients and everyone in the scene worshipped her. I’d heard the damn VP tell her he loved her with tears in his eyes.

Why did I deserve her?

Was what we had different?

My timer buzzed, so I checked the fish and pulled both pouches off the fire, setting them on the picnic table. When I had the food plated, I handed one to her with a fork and sat down with the other.

She took a bite and groaned. “I stand corrected. Your campfire cooking is outstanding. I’m still skeptical about the sleeping arrangements and the dirt and how much outsideyness there is, but the food is…” She made a chef’s kiss gesture. “The company’s a little questionable.”

I grinned. “Whatever. You’re going to miss me.”

She tilted her head. “I guess we’ll find out in a week.”

35

Elena

“I’ve got a bit of a problem, Mr. Chase. I didn’t bring anything to sleep in since I so foolishly assumed we’d be indoors.”

“Here,” he said, peeling his shirt off and tossing it to me. “Sleep in my shirt.”