One Night with Sole Regret 02 Tempt Me (6 page)

“
Oh my God, it’s Adam
Taylor,” someone yelled.

The small crowd became huge. Safely
locked inside the car, Adam shook hands and signed autographs
through the open window. He was glad that no one noticed Madison
hiding in the shadows across from him. He tried not to draw
attention to her, but her troubled expression as she stared at her
hands baffled him. He had to force himself not to ask what was
wrong. She wouldn’t want everyone surrounding the car to know that
she was with him. He had to protect her reputation. Any woman
caught with him was automatically branded a slut, and he wouldn’t
be able to live with himself if she got hurt because he’d been born
an asshole.

Inside the stadium, Madison stood
among the stage equipment and watched Adam work with the sound
technician. There was too much feedback in the amps, so it was
taking much longer than expected for them to get the equipment
ready for the show. A heavy black curtain blocked the fans’ view of
the stage, but they were already filtering into the arena for the
opening acts. They must have recognized that Adam was the hidden
guitarist, however, because every time he played a string of notes,
they erupted in spontaneous cheers. Madison sometimes forgot he was
famous. Not necessarily when they had sex in a limo—who did that
besides famous people, horny newlyweds and the occasional prom
couple—or when said limo was mobbed by fans and twenty-five
security guards had to be called out to control the crowd, but
these reminders made her feel even more conflicted about the status
of her relationship with Adam.

In the limo, he’d made sure she’d
stayed hidden from the crowd, obviously not wanting them to know
she was with him. When they’d dashed from the limo to the back door
of the arena, he’d made her cover her head with some security
guard’s jacket. Madison’s pride had taken a beating because he
hadn’t publicly claimed that they were together, but she couldn’t
really blame him. He could have any woman he wanted—certainly more
glamorous, sexier and richer women than Madison ever aspired to be.
Why would he ever give that up for her? She knew he liked her. Knew
they were compatible sexually and that they enjoyed each other’s
company. But she also knew the minute she started making demands on
his time and required him to be true to her, he'd be gone. Maybe if
she’d been a supermodel or a famous actress, he’d consider
admitting they were involved. But she was just ordinary Madison
Fairbanks, with ordinary aspirations and ordinary looks and an
ordinary life. She’d never be enough for him.

Even so, how much longer
could she remain in a relationship where she was the only
monogamous partner? Maybe she'd feel better if she found another
man to dally with in Adam's absence. She rejected the idea as soon
as it occurred to her. She had no interest in other men. No other
man made her burn and ache and long and
 . . .
love. She’d
have to be completely over him before she’d spread her legs for
anyone but her unattainable rock god.

“
Are you waiting for Adam?”
Owen, the band's bassist, asked. She hadn't realized he was
standing beside her.

Her gaze automatically dropped to his
crotch, as if he'd have his pierced cock hanging out for her to
gape at. She really wished she didn't know about that bit of hidden
jewelry.

“
Um
 . . . 
” She
huffed, exasperated by her crude behavior, and lifted her eyes to
his. They were a pretty blue, which went well with his handsome
face, and lightly gelled brown hair. “Yeah. He didn't figure it
would take this long.” Otherwise he probably would’ve hidden her in
a storage room with a bag over her head or made her wait for him at
the hotel by herself.

“
Some roadie knocked over a
bunch of amps when they were unloading the truck this afternoon.
They can't figure out which one was damaged. They sound fine
individually, but when they're all connected to the soundboard, it
picks up feedback.”

“
Oh.”

Owen chuckled. “Like you
care.”

“
It's interesting,” she
said. “I don't know much about music.”

“
Just how to keep a
guitarist captivated.” Owen nudged her in the ribs with his
elbow.

She felt her face flame. “Not
really.”

“
He likes you, you know.
I've known him for almost ten years. He's never been interested in
the same woman for more than a few weeks. How long have you two
been seeing each other?”

“
A year.” She shook her
head, because that made it sound as if he was serious about her.
“But we don't see each other often.”

“
He never misses the chance
to see you when he can. He’s busy, right?”

“
He does call when he's in
town.”
And late at night when he wants to
talk dirty.

“
Yep, he likes you. But I
have to warn you.”

“
Warn me?”

Owen nodded. “Don't pressure
him.”

“
So it’s not a good idea to
force him to pledge his ever-lasting love and commit to me alone?”
She was half-joking and half wanted to know the answer.

“
No,” he said, drawing out
the syllable for an indecent length of time. “He’d break it off
with you if you even suggest it. It’s how he rolls.”

“
I was afraid of that. I
hate that he has so many
other
women.”

“
So don't think about him
with them.”

Madison’s heart twisted. She bit her
lip to stop its trembling. Owen had basically confirmed her
suspicions: Adam slept around on her. She'd known he did, but she'd
been doing a pretty good job of pretending he was hers alone.
Something hot streaked from the corner of her eye. She dashed the
annoying tear away and concentrated on breathing regularly. She
didn't want to burst into racking sobs in front of Owen. That would
prove that she didn't have what it took to be a rock star's
girlfriend. Because frankly, she didn’t.

“
Oh shit, don’t look so
sad, sweetie,” he said, patting her back. “Just remember those
chicks don't mean anything to him.”

“
So why does he bother
sleeping with them?” she said much louder than she'd
intended.

Owen shrugged and scratched his head.
“Convenience?”

And that's all she was to
Adam too. His convenience stationed in Dallas, Texas. “Excuse me,”
she said. “I need to use the restroom.”
So
I don't bawl my eyes out in public.
She
couldn’t do this anymore. It didn’t matter how much she loved him
if he didn’t love her in return. A one-sided love affair would
never be enough for her. Not even with Adam Taylor.

“
Sure,” Owen said, his
attention already diverting to someone else.

Madison was allowed to navigate the
backstage area without interference. Both security and the crew
recognized her. A few even offered her a friendly nod in greeting,
which was baffling. Didn’t they realize she wasn’t famous enough to
be here?

She found a restroom and
locked herself in an empty stall. She didn't let herself crumble,
only allowed a few tears to fall. She didn't want anyone to know
she'd even considered crying. Maybe if she'd been interested in
Adam because he was legendary, this would be easier, but she didn't
love him because he was a rock star. She loved him despite it.
Before she'd been introduced to the band and interacted with the
scene that surrounded his professional life, she'd thought of music
as Adam's
job
. But
it was more than that. Music was his
life
. And she didn't fit in that
life.

It was different when they were alone
together. During those moments, she felt connected to him, a part
of him, and felt he was a part of her, but here, surrounded by the
crew and the band and the fans and the press and the hundreds of
other people who were necessary to help run Adam's career, she knew
their relationship was an illusion. There was no way for them to be
together in a normal capacity. She didn't even know if he
remembered what normal was like.

She blew her nose on some toilet paper
and let herself out of the stall. She gazed at her face in the
mirror, wondering why she had to fall for someone as unattainable
as Adam Taylor. Why couldn't she have fallen for some nice plumber?
Or a civil engineer? Nope, she had to hand her heart over to one of
the most famous rock guitarists in the world. And she knew she
could never have him. Not entirely.

Staring at her stricken reflection in
the mirror, she realized the only way she was going to get over
Adam was if she broke things off. Quit him cold turkey. And she had
to do it soon; there was no point in delaying the inevitable. This
would be their last night together. And she would make sure it was
a night to remember so she could treasure it forever.

Heart heavy, Madison took a deep
breath, straightened her spine and left the restroom to find Adam.
She knew he liked when she showed her naughty side and since she
didn’t want to be the only one who remembered their last night
together, she’d use that to her advantage. He’d burn for her by the
time he went onstage in two hours.

The sound of his guitar no longer
filled the arena, but she headed that direction anyway. She wasn’t
sure if he'd be in the band's dressing room or on the
bus.

Or
talking to some gorgeous redhead in a short leather
skirt.

Madison drew to an abrupt halt,
staring daggers at the woman. She wondered how intimately Adam knew
her. They sure were standing close together. And the woman sure was
smiling at him in open invitation. Even though Madison couldn't see
Adam's face, there was no mistaking him from behind. If the rocker
hair and all black attire hadn't given him away, that hot ass of
his did.

Madison moved to stand
behind him.
You like sluts? I can pretend
to be a slut.
She slid her hand down his
ass and squeezed. He whirled around.

“
Madison?” he said,
obviously astonished that she was the one giving his ass a squeeze
in public. He probably would have been less surprised if some woman
he'd never met had done so.

“
Are you busy?” she
asked.

“
I was wondering where you
wandered off to,” he said. He glanced at the redhead, who was
scowling at Madison.

Sorry to get in the way of
your good time, bitch, but he’s mine tonight.
Madison narrowed her eyes at the woman.

The redhead's eyes narrowed at
her.

“
I had to use the
restroom,” Madison said, her eyes practically closed they were so
narrowed now. “I hope you didn't get too lonely without
me.”

The corner of the redhead's mouth
turned up. “I'd never let that happen,” she said in a low-pitched
purr and ran her palm over Adam's thick-muscled arm.

Unless she squeezed her eyelids
completely shut, it was physically impossible for Madison to narrow
her eyes more, so she grabbed Adam's other arm and jerked him away
from his predator.

“
Is there anyone on the
bus?” she asked him.

He shrugged. “Not sure. We can go
check.” He nodded at the redhead. “Later,
um . . . ”

“
Sarah.”

“
Right,” he
said.

Madison forced herself not to give
Sarah a smug look as Adam took her hand and led her toward the back
of the arena where the tour bus was parked.

“
You're not going to ask?”
he said as they walked.

“
Ask what?”

“
How I know that woman. I
thought you were going to scratch her eyes out for a minute
there.”

“
I don't really care how
you know her,” she said, her spine so rigid she was surprised it
didn’t crack under the strain.

He shrugged. “If you say
so.”

Madison clung to his hand more
tightly. She was such a liar. She did want to know how he knew her.
If he was interested in her. If he'd ever had sex with her or if
she'd sucked his cock or if he'd so much as kissed her, but it
wasn't her business.

“
Did you fuck her?” she
blurted and then covered her mouth with her free hand. Where in the
hell had that question come from?

“
Nope,” he said
simply.

“
Do you want
to?”

“
When I have you here?” He
kissed her temple and squeezed her hand.

“
But what if I wasn't
here?”

“
That would be
different.”

And that's why she had to
say goodbye to him. Technically, they
could
continue this way—her dropping
everything to be with him when he was in town and those being the
moments she lived for—but she couldn't go on like this forever.
She'd tell him that in the morning. She wasn't even sure he'd care.
A line of women waited to take her place the second she stepped
aside.

“
But I am here,” she
reminded him.

“
Exactly.”

Madison was disappointed to find the
bus jam-packed with the rest of the band, some other guys Madison
didn't recognize and a group of girls who didn't seem to care who
fondled what. One of the young women was obviously very drunk and
completely topless. When she spotted Adam standing near the
driver's seat, she staggered in his direction.