Stella's POV

April 2018

"What?" I smiled, sipping on my hot cocoa and stared at the blue eyed, brown curly mess of hair of a guy sitting across from me at my favorite coffee shop. Ryan had a pencil between his lips, biting down on it absentmindedly as he studied his notes.

"Nothing," I mused, staring blatantly and not even caring that whatever we were studying for was the last thing on my mind.

"C'mon, Stella, you're distracting me. The whole reason we got out of my apartment was so we wouldn't distract each other." I bit my lip, remembering exactly what he was talking about.

The past few weeks have be so hectic between school and work that whenever Ryan and I had a chance to see each other, we didn't do much talking.

The first night we were able to be together was one of magic and something I could never, ever replicate with anyone else.

Ryan touched me like a delicate flower; so softly, like one moment could break me. I've never been touched like that before He worshiped my body like a temple, making sure each and every inch of me was receiving the utmost pleasure.

And that was just his hands.

Those wonderful, guitar fingers of his touching just so that I was over the edge with just a few strums.

"What are you smiling about?" His pencil was now behind his ear. I don't even think he's been using it.

"Oh, just thinking of your hands." Ryan started to cough like he was choking on his drink when I know for a fact that isn't the case. He looked up at me like I was insane.
"Stella," he coughed again, "please, we need to finalize our defense plan so Mrs. Harper doesn't bench us before we even get the chance to cross-exam. Which you know I'm so thrilled about." I realized then that I need to take this more serious, if not for me, but for him.

I've already had my share of the project done, but with Ryan flying back to Georgia for his sister and him working open mic more nights than usual, he hasn't had the time to sit and really think about this case.

"Tell me what you're stuck on." Ryan sighed, the pencil reappearing and twirling between his fingers. Those fingers of which were deep within me only a few hours ago. I could still feel the effect of them going in and out and twisting just right that drove me over the edge.
"Stella? Did you hear anything I just said?" I swallowed and came out of my lust induced hazed and blushed.

"I'm sorry, Ryan." He huffed, throwing down his note cards and stood up.

"I'm gonna get another hot chocolate while you get your mind out of the gutter." I bit my lip and watched him walk away, admiring the light wash of his jeans that hugged him perfectly.

My eyes drifted shut as I took another drink and when I opened it, my body stilled. Ryan was now talking to Chase, who must of came in when I wasn't paying attention.

I haven't talked to him since that night at the hospital, even though we do have multiple classes together, he made it a point to not sit beside me anymore and only acknowledges me if he has to, like he's doing right now by a nod in my direction.

I smiled at the broken man who lost his dreams of being a football star. He carried himself with curved shoulders and I know the broken arm he's nursing feels like a million pounds to him. Ryan smiled brightly at Chase which took me by surprise, then the brown eyed boy was heading my way.

I stood up and gave him a half hug like a long lost friend I haven't seen in years, it's feel that way even though it's only been a month. "How have you been?" I asked instead of waiting for him to speak first.

"I've seen better days," he shrugs and then winces.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, "this is all my fault." I said, which is true in part, I shouldn't have stayed with Chase when I was falling for someone else.
"No, Stella, it's not, and that's why I'm here. I wanted to apologize for how I treated you. The moment I saw you look at Ryan like the brightest star in the sky, I should have let you go. I was so selfish and I'm seeing that now." I stared at Chase, I couldn't believe what he was saying. "I was walking by and saw you two sitting here and wanted to clear the air with you, and with Blaney. I'm tired of hiding behind old memories, even though now I'm not so sure who I am anymore." His voice got quiet there at the end as he looked down at his arm, his fingers still bruised from punching the wall.

"Are you going to be okay?" I asked, ignoring everything he just said. I'm not going to get into a deep conversation with him when I know he doesn't want one.
"Are we ever okay?"

"Know I'm here if you want to talk, okay?"

"I know," Chase hugged me tightly and I wanted to fix this broken boy but I knew he wasn't mine to fix. "I'll see ya around. See ya Friday night, Blaney." Chase waved us off and I looked at Ryan when he returned with a steaming mug.

"Friday?" I questioned.

"He wants to talk, so I'm going to let him." Ryan just shrugged like it was no big deal.

I continued to gawk at Ryan and realized the man in front of me had a million layers about himself that I couldn't wait to uncover.

**

"Stella? Are you awake?" I opened my eyes to see a smiley Blaney staring back at me. "Someone fell asleep while reading again?" I sat up in Ryan's bed, which has slowly become 'our bed' since I've been sleeping in it every night and after adding more throw pillows to it necessary.

I yawned and stretched my arms above my head, "I was just resting my eyes." A quick glance at the clock told me it was shortly after midnight. "Why are you home so early? I thought you were going to play at the Tricky Triangle after meeting up with Chase?"
"I wanted to come see you," Ryan shrugged while taking off his shirt, followed by his boots and jeans. I was slightly distracted by all of that and I couldn't help it was a ruse to prevent me from questioning him because he crawled over to me and took the book from my lap and placed it on the stand. "I missed you." He cooed into my neck before kissing it.

"I think someone is a little drunk." I laughed.
"Actually," Ryan sighed and falling back against the pillows, "i'm not. I didn't have one drop of alcohol tonight. I couldn't, not with the type of conversation I was having with Chase." My heart sank, I knew Chase wasn't doing well.

"Was it that bad?" Ryan looked up at me and shook his head no.
"No, and that's the thing. We talked like a day hasn't gone by between us. We both apologized for everything that happened. It was just one big misunderstanding and we both realized it could have all been prevented if we just have talked in the first place. But as we continued talking about things, we came to the conclusion we wouldn't be where we are today if we had."

"Chase is still heartbroken that he lost you, but he realized in a 'come to Jesus' moment that he never did have you. It made him take a step back from everything and from the sound of things now, I think he's in a good place."

"I should feel guilty that I'm not heartbroken, but I would be lying if I said that I was. I am proud of him for realizing all of this on his own though."

"Hey, what about me? Aren't you proud of me?" Ryan tugged me down from my sitting position, rolling over so he was laying on top of me, full weight and all.

"Ry!" I tried to push him off of me but it was no use and of course he just laughed at me.

"Tell me you're proud of me and I'll get up."

I rolled my eyes and did as he said "I'm proud of you," but of course he didn't budge. "Ryan!"
"Fine! I'm moving." Ryan shifted so he was now only half laying on me and used my chest as a pillow. Reaching over my stomach, he grabbed my hand and intertwined our fingers.

"You know, I had a 'come to Jesus' moment myself tonight, actually."

"Is that why you're here and not at your gig?" I took my free hand and began to run my fingers through his hair. I watched him close his eyes and sigh.

"I love it when you do that," he hummed. "Actually, I cancelled my gig."

"What? Why? You've been trying to get into there for months." Ryan just shrugged his shoulders and didn't answer me.

I wanted to press him further, but I realized the longer he stays silent, the more I realized what he's about to say would impact both of us.

"You know I'm going support you, no matter what, right?" Ryan moved off of me, now sitting Indian style in the middle of his bed. He ran his hands through his hair and let out a long breath.

"I know you will, and I'm slightly selfish in the fact that I want it more than anything in the world right now."

"Ryan," I crawled on my knees to where he was sitting and placed my arms over his shoulders he looked at me. "I know it's slightly crazy how quickly we've connected over the last month. We act like a couple that's been together since the beginning of time. I've learned so much about you, and your family and even some of your crazy idiotic friends.?

"Heyyy!" I rolled my eyes and laughed. "Okay, maybe they slightly are." I gave him a pointed look that had him zipping his lips shut.

"If you're going to drop a bomb on me about something, you might be surprised to learn that I'm going to catch it and not let it explode." Ryan's shoulders immediately dropped and the tension in his body disappeared. I didn't even realize he was wound up so tight.

"I want to move to Nashville," he whispered, "and I want you to move there with me."

**

A/N: Ahh! Sorry for the long wait for an update! I really didn't mean to take forever to write this chapter.

Think Stella will go with him to Nashville?!