She won’t go down without a fight…and he’s looking forward to

it.

Harper left the world famous solo artist, Judd Hart, over a year ago. No
matter how much she cared for him, their worlds were miles apart. All
they shared was great sex and the ability to drive each other crazy. So
why is she at his concert, drooling over the sound of his delicious voice,
when she’s spent months convincing herself they can never work?

Letting Harper walk out on him was the biggest mistake of Judd’s life.
And now that he’s sighted her amongst the crowd, he won’t let her run
away again. Not even if it means holding her hostage on his tour bus
until he can seduce some sense into her. They have a lot to work out, but
this time, he will do whatever it takes to convince her they have a future.

Apart, their lives are smooth sailing. Together, it’s pure craziness. But
sometimes it’s okay to enjoy the rush of insanity.

Chapter One

Harper Douglas eyed the screaming fans seated around

her and tried to ignore the prickle of paranoia that informed

her she stood out like a flare in a sea of darkened faces. She

promised herself she’d never come here again. Not to

another concert. Not when the singer was Judd Hart.

The only reason she was inside the packed stadium was

because of the recent dissolution of her friend’s marriage. If

Nicole hadn’t been depressed and barely communicative for

weeks, Harper could’ve ignored the sudden, almost tantrum-

like demands to attend. She could’ve been sitting on her

sofa right now, eating popcorn and pretending her last job

as Judd’s stylist hadn’t existed.

Instead, she succumbed to incessant nagging from a

woman who acted like a sleep deprived five-year-old in need

of a Ritalin prescription and dragged her feet to a concert

performed by her deliriously good looking ex. All in the

name of friendship.

“Do we have to stay for the entire show?” Harper raised

her voice to drown out the lyrical orgasm hitting her ears.

Judd’s delicious tone was already sinking under her skin,

clawing its way into her erogenous zones.

“Stop being a douche.” Nicole poked out her tongue.

“Doesn’t this bring back great memories?”

Great? Of course. But did the recollection slice through

her chest with the force of a rusted butter knife? Most

definitely.

The man was a hypnotist. Someone who could

manipulate the mind and body with a flash of those hazel

eyes. She’d already spent fifteen months forcing the

memories of him from her life. Some days, surviving without

him was like conquering a craving for soda, chocolate, or

coffee. The yearning was a constant annoyance, yet usually

bearable. On others, it was like fighting the need to breathe.

Yeah, unfortunately he was that good—sexy as sin, sly

as hell, and as awe inspiring as Neil Armstrong’s boot

imprint on the moon. Talent didn’t come close to what this

man had flowing through his veins. His musical gift—his

voice and his lyrics—were so perfectly intertwined that

nobody could fault his perfection. It was the gentlemanly,

I’m-a-lover-not-a-fighter attitude that topped it off, making

fan girls swoon.

“Why do you always turn into a head case around

him?” Nicole’s voice interrupted the music Harper wished

she could despise. “It’s not like he can see you up here.

We’re practically closer to God than we are to Judd right

now.”

Hilarious. Harper rolled her eyes. Her friend would

never understand the affect her ex had on her. She didn’t

understand it herself. Around Judd the world ceased to

exist, and in its place something new evolved. Something

that made the hairs on the back of her neck tingle and all her

nerves stand at attention.

All the damn time.

And nothing was ever the same again, not emotions,

not sensations, even the air tasted different after a Judd

high.

The worst part was becoming someone different. Harper

had no control over who she was around him. He dragged

the craziness out of her and jabbed at it with a sharp stick.

Pok e, pok e, pok e. The result was mind-altering, soul

shattering sex, but she wasn’t sure the delirious pleasure

was worth the price of her sanity.

Fifteen months ago, she’d been convinced they didn’t

have a future. Not merely because she skirted psychosis in

his presence, but because their lifestyles were miles apart.

Only now, seeing his tempting body highlighted in stage

lights, felt like a sign from the heavens. A sign she chose to

ignore.

“If you wanted to come to the concert with someone

willing to bounce along to the beat and scream their

overachieving groupie lungs out, you shouldn’t have

insisted on dragging me along.” She shifted in her chair, still

endeavoring to fade into the background when a bullseye

was tattooed on her forehead. “You know I’m more than

uncomfortable being here.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t think you’d be this paranoid.”

Paranoid? Pfft. She’d surpassed that phase with flying

colors. What Harper had now was full-blown nausea-

inducing anxiety. Problem was, her feelings had nothing to

do with how Judd would respond if he knew she was here

and everything to do with how she would react if they came

face-to-face.

Thus the basis of choosing seats that were well above

the nosebleed section.

She couldn’t look at the stage for longer than sixty

seconds without her belly churning. She feared her heart

would break at close proximity, and that stony, undefeated

organ wasn’t going to succumb after all this time. Nope. Too

much time had passed since she walked from Judd’s life, and

she wasn’t going to start looking back now.

It’s not like he ever did.

“How you doing tonight, Denver?”

Harper winced at the sound of his devilish drawl. The

crowd erupted around her, a mass of crazed siren wails all

demanding attention. It was infuriating—the noise and the

jealousy it provoked. His chuckle into the microphone didn’t

help, that honeyed voice seeped through every speaker to

hit her hard in the vagina region.

“I’m in the mood for a game,” he announced. “Who

wants to play?”

She stiffened, as if he’d spoken the words to her and her

alone. He didn’t have a reputation for crowd interaction. She

knew because she’d seen him perform many times. Every

city and every concert in his last tour, to be exact.

She shuffled forward in her chair and peered over the

top of heads to see the man she’d been trying to ignore. Her

disloyal heart celebrated with painful arrhythmia.

Damn him.

He was still the stuff of fantasies. His tank was loose,

exposing tanned, muscled arms. His chin-length hair was

mussed, the tangled strands brushing against the barely

visible stubble on his jaw like a lover’s fingers, and his

drugging gaze beamed down at her from the projection

screens at either side of the stage.

“Jensen, can you kill the glare and turn on the house

lights?”

Oh, shit. She slunk into her chair as the stadium was

bathed in a fluorescent glow. There was no way he could see

her up here. But she felt exposed. Naked in front of a crowd

of over fifteen thousand.

“That’s perfect. Now I can see all your gorgeous faces.”

He strode to the front of the stage, his faded, ripped jeans

exposing tempting parts of his legs as he searched the sea of

fans. “It’s a simple game, last one standing wins.”

Shouts rang out—“What do we win? ” “Are you the

prize? ” “Pick me, pick me. ”

The last came from the person seated next to her—her

best friend—which Harper was happy to counter with a

Bitch, please glare.

Judd removed his earpiece and a satisfied smirk tilted

his lips. “First question—hands up if you’re a local.”

The sea erupted with high flying fingers. Harper

remained slumped, happy to sit this one out. Whatever the

prize was, she didn’t want it. Not now. Not ever.

“Keep those hands high if you’ve been to one of my

concerts before.”

Very few hands lowered, everyone still waving madly to

gain any sort of attention.

“That’s awesome. I appreciate the loyalty.” He shaded

his eyes, peering into the upper levels. “Now, this time, I

want you to keep your hand raised and stand if you have all

my albums. I mean CDs not downloads.”

Harper scoffed. She remembered a conversation with

him a lifetime ago about CDs versus iTunes. He was a

technology nut and loved having access to his music

wherever he went. Whereas she preferred something

tangible. Always would.

Groans murmured through the stadium as people

lowered their hands and a lot less stood.

“You have all his CDs, don’t you?” Nicole nudged her

arm. “Stand up.”

“No, thank you.”

Her friend huffed and pushed to her feet, raising her

hand high.

“What the hell are you doing?” Harper tried to tug

Nicole back down and was batted away by a swinging arm.

“You don’t have all his CDs.”

“No. But you do. And if you’re not going to participate,

I’ll do it for you.”

People in the row below shot them disapproving glares.

People in the seats beside them, too. They didn’t

understand the importance of being inconspicuous.

Obviously, Nicole didn’t either.

“Sit the hell down,” Harper grated through clenched

teeth.

She wasn’t only hiding from Judd, it was also his

security team. Anyone who had worked on the previous

tour would recognize her, and she didn’t want the man of the

hour finding out she was here.

“Harper,” Nicole warned. “You’re ruining my night.”

“Mine, too,” the man beside her leaned forward to add.

She shot him a look that spoke of rage and insanity.

“Fine.” She slunked as far down in her chair as possible

without the threat of a back spasm and crossed her arms

over her chest. “Just pretend I’m not here.”

“My next question will see most of your butts in seats

—”

She closed her eyes at the sound of his voice, wishing

away the past and their inevitable end.

“—how many of you have a tattoo that contains my

lyrics?”

Oh, shit. Harper’s stomach dissolved in a mass of

tingles and the script on the side of her left arm itched. She

opened her eyes to the stadium roof and measured her

breathing. Slow in. Slow out. The question hit her in the

feels, and she’d sat through enough emotional crap because

of this man to last a lifetime.

No more. Please, no more.

She didn’t want to see the result of his question. To

place a number on how many women had marked their body

for Judd, like she had. But it was a train wreck she couldn’t

refrain from witnessing.

She scooted back in her chair and hunted through the

mass of people. One…Two…Three…Four… There were

more on the lower levels and no doubt some were out of

view. All female. Probably all grinning like they scored a role

on The Bachelor, when in reality it highlighted their pathetic

existence. And then there was Nicole, still standing proud at

Harper’s side, inching closer to the cusp of being

slaughtered.

“I wish you’d sit down,” she whispered, not hiding the

plea in her tone. This was like a Mission Impossible pivotal

life and death scene and Nicole simply didn’t understand the

significance of being stealthy.

“Well, maybe you shouldn’t have had ‘love is an

affliction,’ tattooed on your arm.”

“Last question.” Judd spoke over the top of them. “And

this is the most important.”

She couldn’t help it, she inched to the edge of her seat,

fully invested on what he said next. Judd might not be

famous for crowd interaction, but he was a ladies man and

she wanted to see the face of the wench who would win

something from the charmer she used to claim as her own.

“Here goes.” Judd rubbed his hands together, glancing

from woman to woman to woman. “Keep standing if your

name is Harper Douglas.”

Oh, fuck .

Nicole screamed, the piercing volume causing a Mexican

wave of gazes to snap in their direction. Surrounded by an

army of betrayers, Harper had no choice but to slide off her

seat and crouch in the leg space as she silently begged for

the world to end.

“Sit the hell down,” she pleaded. “Sit the hell down! ”

Nicole waved one arm and used the other to point a

traitorous finger toward Harper’s hiding place.

No. No, no, no, no, no. This wasn’t real. Nope. She was

going to stand up and find herself miraculously naked.

Everyone would laugh. She would be horrified. Then she’d

wake up in a cold sweat realizing this was all some

elaborately horrific nightmare and her existence would be

peaceful again.

Only the sound of Judd’s laughter had never been as

clear in her dreams. So sleek. So captivating. Yet it sank into

her ears with more weight than Nicole’s psychotic screech.

“It looks like Harper is here,” he drawled. “Why don’t

you come down and see me, princess?”

Chapter Two

The far off scream came from the upper level. Judd

squinted and still couldn’t make out the owner of the voice.

It definitely wasn’t Harper, though. There was no way his

moody, snarly femme fatale would screech like that. Not for

him. Well, at least not anywhere other than the bedroom.

The high-pitched noise had to be coming from a friend.

Maybe Nicole. At least he hoped so. If some whack job was

pretending to be his Harper, he’d lose his shit. Especially

when his heart was already thumping at the possibility of

seeing her.

“I’ve got a better idea.” He glanced to side-stage on his

left, pinning Kyle, his assistant, with a stare. “Why don’t we

send one of the security team to escort you backstage?” He

stepped back from the microphone, still holding Kyle’s

attention. “Don’t let her leave the building. Do you hear me?

I want her backstage when I finish the show. And tell

whoever she’s here with that she won’t be leaving with them

tonight.”

Kyle nodded and slunk from view, always eager to keep

his six-figure salary.

Judd returned his focus to the crowd, honing in on the

woman who now stood in the middle of the upper level

stairwell. His throat tightened, his legs grew heavy, and for

the first time in a year, his cock stirred with a lethargic pulse,

as if awoken from hibernation.

Harper. His Harper. Even from the opposite side of the

stadium, he could recognize her—the black hair, the petite

height, the hand gesture that he couldn’t quite make out but

had the sneaking suspicion was the bird.

He chuckled and repositioned his ear piece, enthusiastic

to get his performance over with. Two of his security team

were already closing in on her, and he was confident they’d

ensure she didn’t leave.

“Okay, Denver. Let’s get this show back on the road.”

On cue, the stadium fell into darkness. A wave of

squealing and yelling battered into him, vibrating the

stadium floor and thrumming into his limbs. The stage lights

burst to life, increasing the noise to a deafening pitch. He

blinked through the temporary blindness as his band kicked

off the next song, and together they blew the minds of

everyone in the building.

Well, almost everyone.

He wasn’t a mind reader but he was positive Harper

wouldn’t be impressed at being escorted backstage. He

could picture her screaming his name just like the fans

before him, only she wouldn’t have the same favorable tone.

She would be furious and he couldn’t wait to witness it for

himself.

She deserved retribution for what she’d put him

through. Every show was haunted by her. No matter how

many people he performed to or where he was in the world.

He could be surrounded by wall to wall adoration, yet he

could never make out the faces of his fans. None of them

were unique. All of them were her.

Every fucking one of them.

He would’ve taken the punishment if he’d been the

cause of their relationship break down. But she was the one

who walked out on him. Without a word or a kiss, she

penned a note and never looked back.

His pride still hadn’t recovered. Not completely.

Now it was time to get the answers he deserved.

He ploughed through the rest of his set, unable to wipe

the smirk from his face. He could already picture the reunion.

There’d be snarling and hissing. Maybe a bite or two. And

after the fighting would come the inevitable fucking. Just like

the good ol’ days.

“Good night, Denver.” He spread his arms wide, sucked

in the euphoria streaming through the air and then jogged

from the stage. There was no encore. No tease for one more

song. He was currently riding the most epic natural high of

his life and he lacked the restraint to stay away from his

woman a moment longer.

“Where is she?” He dislodged his in-ear monitors as he

reached Kyle in the wings.

“Your dressing room.”

Good. His steps didn’t falter as he yanked off his tank

and tucked part of the material into his pocket. He untangled

himself from the wires leading down his back to the receiver

pack attached to his jeans and shoved the equipment at his

assistant’s chest.

“You know your fans will roast you online for not doing

an encore.”

“I’ll deal with it.” He increased his pace, striding out the

distance as fast as he could without running.

“Judd, wait.”

He clenched his fists and squeezed his eyes shut briefly,

oh so briefly, to stop himself from making a scene. Pride had

kept him from going after Harper all those months ago, but it

was an unwavering gentlemanly persona that now stopped

him from yelling I don’t fuck ing care and launching his arms

in the air to give the world the middle-finger salute.

He wanted peace. He wanted privacy. He wanted Harper.

But he had to maintain the tiny sliver of professionalism

he had left. He had to pretend he wasn’t entirely mindless

over a woman.

“What do you want, Kyle?” He swung around, walking

backward through the maze of stage crew and musical

equipment.

“Just be aware, she’s a little…” the man cringed,

“confrontational.”

Judd’s stomach dived. It wasn’t a nauseating plunge,

more like a sky-diving freefall. Fear and excitement mingled

into one. “Perfect.” He grabbed the dangling tank at his

thigh and used it to mop up the sweat on his neck and face.

“Anything else?”

“Just be careful, okay?”

He grinned and lightly punched Kyle in the shoulder. “I

think I can handle her.”

“Sure you can.” His assistant raised a disbelieving brow

and planted his feet. “Good luck.”

Judd didn’t need it. He could probably use a few more

condoms, but luck wasn’t on the shopping list.

He turned back toward his path and started jogging.

The progression toward Harper was a blur with the scream

of fans slowly dying to a dull murmur. By the time he

reached the hall leading to his dressing room, he was

panting, equal parts exhaustion and exhilaration as he

approached two of his security team.

“It takes more than one of you to keep an eye on her?”

They didn’t acknowledge the humor in his tone. There was

no laughter. Not even a smile.

“Both of us,” the man closest muttered, “plus Tank

who’s already inside.”

“The crazy bitch bit me.” The second guard held up his

arm, showing the light red circular marks embedded in his

wrist.

Judd kept the smile on his face even though the elation

evaporated from his system like an instantaneous drought.

“After holding her captive for over an hour, I’m surprised

she didn’t set her sights on more important appendages.”

The thought of someone else’s hands on his woman

inspired rage. The name calling was even worse. Yes, she

was a crazy bitch, but she was his crazy bitch. Nobody else

had the right to judge her.

“She did.” The man lowered his arm. “I’m lucky my

reflexes are quicker than hers.”

Judd gave a humorless laugh and moved between them

to grasp the door handle. “Very lucky. Can I give you a piece

of advice, though?” He glanced over his shoulder, pinning

the man with a harsh stare.

“Yeah. Sure.”

“Call her a bitch again, or any other name, for any

reason, and you’re going to see yourself in the

unemployment line.”

The guy’s lips parted on silent words.

“We clear?”

“Yes.” The man raised his chin and moved back to stand

flush with the wall. “Crystal.”

“Glad to hear it.” Judd turned back to the wooden

barrier separating him from Harper and took a deep breath.

This was it. The time to claim what was his. He swallowed

over the anticipation drying his throat, twisted the handle

and stepped into what he hoped would be a new stage of his

life.

The room was silent, the air thick and filled with tension.

Tank leaned against the wall in the far corner, his

shoulders straight, sweat beading on his forehead. But it

was Harper who stole Judd’s attention. She sat in front of

the mirror bordered with lights, her head lowered, not

meeting his gaze in the reflection. A vase full of flowers was

to her left, the bright colors the second most beautiful thing

in the room.

“I’ll take it from here.” His voice was tight. Restricted

from longing.

Tank pushed from the wall, his dark eyes bleak as he

made his way to the door. “She’s not happy to be here.”

Judd nodded. He would’ve been surprised if she was.

Tank stared him down as he moved closer and lowered

his voice. “Take it easy on her, okay?”

Judd clenched his teeth. The two of them had worked

together for years, they’d been friends even longer. No

insult would’ve been intended. But it flowed through

anyway. He didn’t need direction when it came to Harper. He

was aware of her limits. He knew how hard he could push

her before it turned from a game into something cruel.

“I said, I’ll take it from here.”

Tank inclined his head. “I’ll be waiting on the other side

of the door if you need me.”

Judd stepped away and waited until the click of the

latch announced they were alone. Finally. After a year flying

solo, he had her back.

“Fancy seeing you here, princess.”

She grew two inches with the stiffening of her spine.

The long strands of her hair fell like silk around her

shoulders, tempting, oh so tempting to his fingers. She

pushed back in the chair and stood, slow and graceful,

entirely unlike her usual movements that it put him on edge.

He took a cautious step forward as she straightened to

her full height. They shared a frozen moment. A glimpse in

time where neither of them did anything. They didn’t talk,

didn’t move. He didn’t even breathe. It was peaceful.

Reminiscent. Until she lunged for the vase, snatched it off

the counter and launched it at his head.

“Fuck!” He had one-point-five seconds to duck and

weave as the projectile sailed through the air. It brushed his

shoulder, flowers flying everywhere, before it hit the ground

and shattered, leaving a trail of blooms in its wake.

Now that was the Harper he remembered. She was all

action and anger, energy and excitement. This feisty viper

was the woman he’d fantasized about every night since they

first met.

“God, you’re beautiful when you’re mad.”

He wouldn’t have thought those eyes could glare with

more ferocity. He was wrong. She glanced at the table beside

her, then scoured the rest of the room with her gaze.

“There’s nothing left to throw.”

She raised a brow as if accepting a challenge and

gripped the back of the wooden chair, lifting two legs off the

ground. “Why am I here?”

“I was going to ask the same thing.” He couldn’t

contain his smile. Fuck , he enjoyed this woman. She revived

him. Energized him. Even after a two hour performance. “I

would’ve thought my concert was the last place you’d want

to be on a Friday night.” His smile crept into a smirk as the

devil sparked in her eyes. “I guess I’m still hard to resist.”

She huffed as she raised the chair and launched it

haphazardly in his direction. All it took was a slide to the left

to miss the trajectory.

The last thing any sane man would do is laugh, but this

was what he loved about Harper. She didn’t take any shit.

Instead, she gave it out in truckloads. She was a spark of life

amongst the dreary yes-men and placating groupies he was

surrounded by.

“Have you got that out of your system?”

Her gaze narrowed. “Are your goons going to let me go

home?”

“Not until I tell them to.”

She crossed her arms over her chest, plumping up her

breasts in the loose charcoal T-shirt. She definitely was

beautiful when angry; she was also more alluring than he

remembered. Her eyes were a deeper blue, vibrant and

hypnotizing. And her mouth…those dark, plump lips would

be the death of him.

“Well, I guess I need to find a better weapon.” She

turned back to the counter, gripped it with both hands and

hung her head with a sigh.

There were red marks on her wrist. Three specific

impressions that looked like finger marks.

“What the hell are they?” He bridged the distance

between them in four steps, and took her elbow in his hands.

She turned into him, her eyes wide. “Back off.”

“Who did this?”

“Who do you think?” She tugged her arm from his grip.

“Your henchman thought I was a meek, vulnerable female

and tried to manhandle me.”

His heart crept into his throat, climbing higher with his

fury. “The guy you sank your teeth into?”

“Yeah.” Her smile was smug. “He tasted like chicken.”

Fuck . “I’m sorry.” More so than his words would ever

convey. He wanted to kick the ass of the guard who touched

her. He wanted to kill him. Problem was, he had a persona to

uphold, one based on bullshit charm and charisma with a

heavy dose of manners and integrity. If he landed a punch

on one of the security team, he’d never live the publicity

down.

“Don’t be. Isn’t it his job to hold women hostage until

you finish your set?” She laughed and shuffled backward to

lean her ass on the counter. “You’ve definitely streamlined

your seductive process in the last year. I’m surprised it

hasn’t made the news.”

He stepped into her, knee to knee, and loathed the way

she stiffened at the brush of contact. “It takes a lot to

become newsworthy these days.” He reached out and trailed

his fingers over the marks on her wrist, trying to soothe her

pain and his. “I’d have to create a harem and fill it with

kidnapped women before I gained any sort of attention.”

“I’m sure the idea has crossed your mind more than

once.” She slid along the counter and out of reach. “Can I

leave now?”

“Nope.” He took her position seated against the

counter.

She chuckled, the sound half-hearted. She wasn’t

enjoying the game like she had in the past. “I suppose you

want me to scream.” She strolled along the edge of the room,

trailing her fingers over the rack of clothes, the wall, the

chairs. “To beg.” She met his gaze. “To plead.”

Fuck yes. All of the above.

“It’s not going to happen, Judd. So let me go home.”

He almost believed her desire to leave. Almost. He

crossed his arms over his chest and frowned at her, trying to

read what was going on in that puzzling brain of hers. “What

were you doing sitting at the back of the stadium? You know

I would’ve given you tickets. All you had to do was ask.”

“I’m not here because I want to be,” she murmured.

“Nicole begged me to come. But you already knew that,

right? How long have the two of you had this planned?”

“The last time I spoke to Nicole was before you walked

out on me.” He scrutinized her, hoping to see regret at the

mention of her departure from his life. But there was nothing.

No change. No acknowledgement of the way she shoved her

fist into his chest and pulled out his still-beating heart.

“So you played that fun little game with the crowd at

last night’s show, too?” She raised a brow. “That screams of

desperation, Mr. Hart.”

“I spoke to the ticketing manager and had your name

searched against all credit card payments.”

“That’s funny.” Her lips curved. So sultry. So sexy.

“Because I didn’t purchase the tickets. Nicole did.”

“Well, she’s got shit taste in seats.” He pushed from the

counter and stalked toward her, unwilling to discuss exactly

how desperate he’d felt playing the same game with the

crowd last night. Each step he took, she took another in the

opposite direction. Cat and mouse. Push and pull.

“The seats were my stipulation. I didn’t want to be

caught dead here. I hoped sitting in the roof space would

mean none of your staff would notice me.” Her seductive

eyes turned aggressive. “As much as you think I’m here for

you, you’re wrong. Nicole made me.”

He didn’t believe her. Refused to. Harper could deny it

all she liked. They both knew she was here to see him. “And

you couldn’t say no?”

“Not when she’s been catatonic for the last month.” She

made her way to the opposite side of the room, maintaining

the few feet between them. “Stefan left her. The least I could

do was put up with seeing you on stage in an effort to make

her happy. And now she’s out there, all alone, waiting for

me.”

“She’s gone, princess. I made it known that you’d be

leaving with me tonight.”

She scoffed and shook her head. “Why am I not

surprised?”

“Because you know how crazy you make me.”

“Yes.” Her smile turned pained. “Unfortunately, I do.”

He increased the size of his steps, the pace too. Harper

did the same, stumbling around furniture in an effort to keep

space between them.

“What’s this about, Judd? Why am I here?”

“I’ve missed you.” It was barely the truth. Missing her

didn’t come close to how he felt. He craved her. Yearned for

her. As strong as he was, this woman made him weak, and

the pain hit harder the longer they were apart.

“You expect me to believe that? I bet the first time I

graced your thoughts was when you drove your shiny tour

bus into Denver a few days ago.”

“Is that what you think?” He took another step and

swung out a hand, his fingers drifting over her hip.

“I certainly don’t think you missed me.” She stated as

fact, but she looked at him in question, demanding

clarification that he couldn’t give just yet. He’d had too

much pride when she left, and he was still overflowing with

it now.

“As fun as this exercise is, I’m going to have to leave.”

She walked the perimeter of the room, the hint of her vanilla

perfume tempting his senses. He reached for her again, and

she pivoted to deflect the connection. His fingers drifted

over her stomach, to her hip, and into painful thin air as she

continued to the door.

“No.” He jogged after her, panic infiltrating his veins as

she clasped the handle. “We need to talk.” He shoved his

palm against the door and settled his chest into her back.

She was warm. Soft. Perfect. She was his, he only needed to

remind her.

“Please, Judd.”

Her plea was a shock to his senses. He’d never been

exposed to her vulnerability before. It was foreign and

delicious. He wanted to poke for more. To make her

defenseless in the exact same way she did to him.

“Please what, princess?” He smoothed his cheek

through her hair, inhaling her sweetness into his lungs. “Are

you asking to leave or begging to stay?” He placed his lips

below her ear and trailed a path to an unfamiliar silver chain

resting against her neck.

A whimper brushed his ears as she placed her head

against the door. “What do you want from me?” She pushed

back and turned to face him, her eyes now glazed with lust

and something less inviting that he refused to believe was

sorrow.

“I told you, we need to talk.” He leaned in to take her

lips but she turned her cheek, denying him.

She’d never denied him before.

Not once.

She was as addicted to his kiss as he was to hers.

Unless… “Are you with someone?”

She looked at him, holding him in place with unblinking

eyes. Thoughts flickered behind those mesmerizing irises, he

could read them, could tell exactly what she was about to

say.

“Don’t lie to me, Harper.”

She winced and the cutest puff of breath left her lips.

“I’m not with anyone.”

Perfect. “Then you’re mine.”

She shuddered as his mouth descended on her neck. He

sank his teeth into her, scraping her skin like he knew she

loved. There was no time. No air. No thoughts. There was

only touch and taste and smell.

There was only Harper and her need that couldn’t be

denied.

He unbuckled her belt and expected a protest that didn’t

eventuate. He’d won her over. Her body at the very least.

Her delicate hands gripped his upper arms and he closed his

eyes at the sense of belonging. He’d been adrift for too

long. He’d been alone.

Not anymore.

She wouldn’t walk away again. He refused to allow it.

“Have you thought of me?” he spoke against her skin.

“Have you touched yourself and pictured me in your mind?”

“Of course,” she drawled, heavy with sarcasm. “Every

night.”

He chuckled and shoved at the waistband of her black

jeans, lowering them a few inches. “That’s good. Because I

think of you every damn time I come.”

She growled, losing the battle to hide the way her body

became soft against his.

“Just touch me,” she demanded, all anger and defiance,

“and hurry up.”

“Let me see you first.” He gripped the hem of her shirt

and lifted.

“No.” She grabbed his wrist, her eyes wide with panic.

“This is all you get. I’m not taking off my clothes.”

That was new, too. His woman wasn’t shy. Maybe it

was punishment. Retaliation for winning her over with his

touch. “Fine.” He’d look his fill in time. For now, he’d be

content staring into those defiant eyes.

He released her shirt and snaked his fingers into her

panties, over her smooth pubic bone and lower, to the tiny

bundle of nerves at the top of her pussy. His dick demanded

precedence, his thickening shaft pulsing against the zipper

of his pants. He wanted to be all over her. To be inside her.

But that would come later.

“What are you waiting for?” She jerked her hips,

sending his fingers through the slickness of her arousal and

moaned.

Fuck . He could come from the mere sound alone.

Through the creation of all his songs, the profound melodies

and impeccable lyrics, nothing had ever sounded as

endearing. He’d missed hearing her pleasure. He’d missed

everything, especially the feel of her core clamping down on

him like it did as he sank his fingers deep inside her.

“At least your pussy knows how to welcome me home.”

He breathed in her groan and licked the salt from her skin.

This was what his pride needed—confirmation that what

they shared wasn’t a figment of his imagination. “Nothing’s

hotter than seeing you like this.”

He grazed his shaft against her hip, needing the friction

to keep him sane. He refused to miss a second of this

moment due to the mindlessness of his own release.

That would happen later.

Right now, he wanted to appreciate those sounds she

made in the height of pleasure. He wanted to see the way

she lost control. He wanted to breathe deep of her sweet

scent, so deep he’d never fully exhale all he had of her.

He’d put her needs before his. And that wasn’t just for

today or tomorrow, but next week, next month and in ten

years’ time.

“Nothing’s hotter than having your ego stroked, you

mean?” She gyrated her hips with the pulse of his fingers,

moving faster, demanding more movement. “God, I wish I

could deny you.”

“Don’t say that.” He leaned back to look at her but she

turned her cheek. The emotional barrier made him pause.

He’d never been more aware of her than he was right now,

and whatever was going through her head was heavier than

the spite in their playful game. She seemed fractured, and he

couldn’t tell if that worked in his favor. “There’s no way I

could ever deny you.”

“Ha.” Her smile was a glimpse of brilliance that faded to

pain. “Why don’t you stop messing around and finish me

off.” She gripped his naked shoulders, clinging tighter with

every kick of her hips.

He smirked, running his lips back and forth over her

skin. “Beg me.”

“Fuck you.”

“That’ll come later.” Her venom was sexy as hell, her

words speaking to his basest desires.

She gyrated against his fingers, whimpering as she did

so. “There is no later.”

“Don’t kid yourself, princess.” He stroked her clit with

his thumb, knowing Tank and the other two guards could

hear every word, every breath. “This is merely the

beginning.”

She began to rock harder into him, her exhalations short

and sharp.

“Do you know what I’ve got planned for you?” he

murmured in her ear.

“Does it involve letting me go home?”

He snickered. “Not at all.”

“Then I don’t want to hear it.” She mewled, her fingers

digging deeper, her hips moving in a frantic pace. “I don’t

want to know.”

“Yeah, you do.” He nipped at her jaw and swirled his

fingers inside her until her legs trembled against his. “It

involves fucking you. It involves dirty, nasty, sweaty sex

that will make you so breathless you can’t even scream my

name.”

Her whimpers mimicked the rhythm of his movements,

pulse after pulse after pulse. “Judd?” She gripped his hair,

holding him in place at her neck.

“Mmm?”

“Shut the hell up and make me come.”

He stilled his movements out of spite. “Beg me.”

“No.” She shook her head in a mindless frenzy. “Never.”

“Then kiss me.”

Her hips stopped and those delicate whimpers

disappeared. He pulled back and watched the heavy

convulse of her throat as she swallowed.

The shake of her head was subtle this time. Defenseless.

“No.”

The barrier between them came up again, hard and fast.

He didn’t like it. Not one bit. Maybe she didn’t enjoy these

games anymore. Or maybe she lied about being single.

“Let me kiss you,” he repeated, leaning closer as he

began working his fingers again.

She met his gaze, her chest rising and falling. “Judd…”

“Just one kiss.” He placed his mouth on her cheek, then

the corner of her lips. “Just one.”

She closed her eyes and leaned her head back against

the door, wordlessly succumbing.

This was why he’d been blindsided by her walking

away. This intoxicating, undeniable attraction wasn’t meant

to be ignored.

They were meant to be together.

There was no one else. It was only her. Only him.

All that stood between them was the time it would take

to convince Harper of the truth.

He slid his mouth over hers, and clamped his eyes shut

at the burst of sensation far deeper than arousal. Her lips

parted and instinctively their tongues began to dance. She

was everywhere. She was everything. And he’d never get

enough.

He pressed his body harder against hers, enjoying the

feel of her breasts against his chest. Slowly, he worked his

fingers again, stroking the inside of her pussy, pressing firm

against her clit.

Her arms circled his neck and those beautiful hands

were still in his hair. She clung to him, made him her savior,

and he was more than ready for the role. He added another

finger to her heat, stretching her. His reward was

instantaneous, with the first shuddering spasms of her core.

She sucked in a breath, her pussy clamping down on his

digits over and over again. He leaned back, watching her,

taking in every part of the show. As crazy as she was, he

was equally crazy for her. He didn’t need another timid and

polite partner. He craved her angst and spite and venom.

Nobody made sex look this good. She was a temptress

with her teeth digging into her bottom lip and the luscious

strands of her hair tangled about her shoulders. The pulse of

her hips slowed, and she sighed, long and weary.

She slumped against the door and lazily blinked as she

stared straight ahead. There was no bliss in her features.

Any glimpse of release vanished under her stony

expression.

“Harper?”

Her lips began to tremble; her hands, too. “Are we

done?”

He jerked back at her meek tone and struggled to come

up with words to soothe the pain in her features. Fuck . Who

was this woman, and what had she done with his strong,

callous Harper? “Did I do something wrong?”

She stepped to the side, elbowing him out of the way.

He was too stunned to stop her. Maybe he didn’t know her

limits after all. Maybe he didn’t know much of anything,

because at the moment he felt entirely clueless.

“I succumbed. That’s what you wanted, right?” She

raised her chin and knocked him on his metaphorical ass

with a sadness he’d never seen from her. “Now let me go

home.”

Chapter Three

Harper blinked the betraying moisture from her eyes. To

hell with that. To hell with him. It was shock, that’s all. She

hadn’t expected to come face-to-face with him tonight, let

alone have him delving into her underwear to pull out a

mind-blowing orgasm.

A few deep breaths and she’d be fine.

“What’s going on, Harper?”

Tell him. Tell him you can’t do this again. Tell him

you’re sick of playing the role of this feisty, psychotic

woman. Tell him you can’t live with the pressure of being the

partner at his side. Tell him. Tell him before you become

addicted to the lust in his eyes all over again and it takes

you too long to walk away.

“I. Want. To. Leave.” She pronounced the words

succinctly. She’d been too fearful of rejection when they

were last together, and those feelings hadn’t changed with

time. She continuously had to bat above her average with

Judd. He was a celebrity after all. And his popularity didn’t

come close to how daunting it was to be with someone

overflowing with his amount of talent. “How hard is that to

understand?”

He took a step back, scrutinizing her, seeing things she

didn’t have the strength for him to see.

“Now, Judd.” She ran a hand along her collarbone,

making sure the chain around her neck was covered by her

shirt.

“Fine. You want to get out of here, then let’s go.” He

grabbed the crook of her arm with gentle fingers and yanked

the door open. “After you.”

“No.” Of course he had to be shirtless and glistening

with sweat when he took her prisoner. He couldn’t be

dressed in sweats and a loose shirt that cradled a beer gut.

Oh, no, he had to excel at being awesomely gorgeous. “I’m

not going anywhere with you.”

“Too bad.” He jerked his chin at Tank, who stood

flanked by two security guards. “Get the tour bus ready.

You, me, and the little princess are going for a drive.”

“No!” She yanked her arm from his grip and was

automatically surrounded by a wall of muscle. All four men

closed in on her as if she was a psych patient trying to

escape.

She glared at them in turn. “Fuck you.” She pointed at

Tank, who only last year had been a close friend. “Fuck

you.” She stabbed a finger at the guard beside him. “Fuck

you.” She pointed at the man who had manhandled her and

jolted her hand for extra measure. “And especially—” she

turned to Judd, “—fuck you.”

His nostrils flared and those soulful eyes gleamed with

wicked intent. He lunged forward, gripping her upper arms

and stealing the breath from her lips with his mouth. He

kissed her, hard, with punishing pressure and vicious flicks

of his tongue. It was devastating. Mortifying. Destructive.

It was perfect.

She shoved at his chest, hating his flawless lips and

flawless taste and the flawless way he made her fall for him

all over again in the space of minutes.

“Get movin’, Harper,” Tank muttered behind her. “You

know you can’t win this time.”

She increased her glare, giving Judd a much more potent

fuck you through the silence. “So you’re kidnapping me?”

Her voice was foreign, slightly panicked. “You’ve gotta be

kidding, right?” She smiled through the delirium, laughed,

then felt the elation flee as Judd’s stance remained adamant.

“You wanted somewhere private. So let’s go.” He jerked

his head toward the end of the hall and on cue his thugs

encroached, demanding compliance without a word.

“I hate you.” She hated his gorgeousness, hated his

passion, she even hated the way he made her want love

when she knew their relationship was too complicated to

withstand it.

“I know. I see that now.” The corner of his lips curled in

a somber smile. “But until I change your mind, you’re

staying with me.”

“Oh, wow.” Her eyes widened. “So this is a lifetime

commitment to hold me hostage?”

He shrugged. “If it needs to be.” He swung a hand and

slapped her ass. “Now get moving.”

She ground her teeth through another curse and started

down the hall, Judd to her left, Tank to her right; and the two

twits trailing at the rear.

They remained silent through the empty backstage

halls, not a whisper, not a word, until she was in the private

underground parking lot, staring up at Judd’s familiar tour

bus. It looked like the same one from last year, only the

signage along the outside was different.

“After you, princess.” He placed a hand on the low of

her back, cementing her fate.

She took the first step forward, toward the open bus

door and the stairs leading to her doom. She could feel

desire welcoming her home, along with the powerlessness

that came with it. This was why she dreaded coming tonight.

She was weak to temptation, her feet moving of their own

accord.

She climbed the stairs, entering familiar territory. She’d

had sex on every inch of this bus. Even the tiny bathroom,

the aisle, and the unstable dining table that still stood to her

left, surrounded by a booth of seats.

“Welcome home,” she muttered.

Tank came up behind her and slid into the driver’s seat.

“Make yourself comfortable.”

“Easier said than done.”

Judd remained outside, speaking in a hushed tone to the

guard who had left his imprint on her wrist. There was no

anger or dramatics. From her viewpoint, it appeared to be a

casual conversation. The guard was the one who showed

the direction of the discussion. His shoulders were slumped,

his expression defeated. Then without a movement of his

lips, he walked away and Judd swung around, meeting her

gaze as he took the first step onto the bus.

“Did you fire him?”

He continued climbing. “Did you want me to?”

Damn him. He knew how her knees caved at the

concept of chivalry. “Forget it.”

“Forgotten.” He flashed his teeth at her in victory.

“Where are we headed?” Tank asked, revving the

engine to life.

The floor vibrated beneath her, precisely the last thing

she needed when she was already being white-washed with

estrogen.

“Head out of town.” Judd’s confident gaze chilled her

blood. “Find a deserted street where we’re not going to be

interrupted.”

A sardonic laugh bubbled from her throat. Somewhere

dark and desolate so he could tear your defenses limb from

limb, she thought.

“You know, I could have you arrested for this.” Slight

exaggeration on her part. She had her cell in her back pocket

and a keycard in the front. Escape was only a phone call

away. If only she could bring herself to leave him again.

He shrugged and started for her as the bus began to

creep forward. “I’ll risk it.”

She backtracked, already sensing the increase in his

seductive pull now she was in his domain. She’d succumbed

once already. That was enough. “What about Tank? He

probably has a long list of previous offenses. If I call the

cops, he’d be in a whole heap of trouble.”

A snort drifted from the driver’s seat. “Nice try,

sweetheart, but I’ve got a clean record and I’m more than

willing to risk whatever necessary to see the two of you

back together again.”

She startled. Stiffened. Froze entirely.

Judd did, too.

“Is that what this is about?” She reached out a hand,

gripping whatever her fingers brushed first and hoped it

looked like the sway of the moving bus was challenging her

balance.

The change of gears was the only response.

“Tell me.”

“What if I said yes?” He took a step toward her. Then

another.

“Then I’d say you’re delusional.” She slid backward,

moving further and further down the aisle. He didn’t even

know her. It didn’t matter how many months they spent

together through the last tour, she’d never really let him in.

She’d even warned him daily that she wouldn’t stick around.

She couldn’t handle the lack of control she had on her

senses when she was with him. And she hated that she

didn’t fit in with the people surrounding him. They were all

pomp and circumstance, and she was all curse words and

cheap alcohol. Except Tank. The rough thug was one of her

people, but he was the hired help, so he didn’t count.

“You’re only interested in fun, and I no longer want the

same thing.”

His jaw ticked and the flare of his nostrils showed a rare

glimpse of spite. Through months of fictitious fighting to

instigate the best sex of her life, she’d never actually landed

one of her blows. All her catty remarks were deliberate air

swings. Fraudulent barbs to spike excitement and lust. What

she’d just said hadn’t even been an attack. It was the truth.

Yet the look in his eyes said she’d hit a nerve.

“So what do you want, princess?” he growled.

You. Forever. She wanted to be herself without the fear

of rejection. She needed to be his equal even though there

was no hope of that happening. And more than anything,

she wanted to find a home with him, a metaphorical place

where she could finally feel a sense of belonging.

Everything she craved was impossible.

A contradiction.

It was one of the many reasons she’d walked away.

When they were together, the stakes were high.

Everything was intense—the lovemaking, the fights.

Especially the persona she had to keep up to maintain his

interest. It was either high or low, barely ever in between.

What she needed was slow and lazy, maybe even a little

taste of boring to even things out.

“I…” She swallowed, hating how invested he was in her

answer when the response she wanted to give would leave

her vulnerable. “I need to use the bathroom.”

He scoffed and shook his head. “Fine. But if you think

you’re gonna lock yourself in there, think again. It doesn’t

take much to get the door open from the outside.”

“Did you find that out with your last victim?” She

backtracked to the bathroom, her fingers gliding over the

latch.

He flashed his teeth. All predator. No charm. “Maybe.”

Not surprising.

She slipped inside the tiny space and closed the door

behind her. The tension in her chest loosened at her first

deep breath of solitude. She hadn’t always been this

pathetic. Judd Hart hadn’t been a blip on her radar until she

heard he was looking for a new stylist.

The first day of her new job sealed her fate. She’d been

annoyed at his late arrival to their first appointment and

hadn’t bothered to hide her PMS-induced ire. One catty

remark turned into a flirtatious verbal sparring match that

lasted ten excruciatingly long days and culminated in

tangled sheets and sex-ruffled hair. The gentleman of the

billboards had been no gentleman to her, and the devilishly

dominant side of him had turned addictive.

The more time she spent with him, the more they

bickered, and it was always with seductive smiles and the

low of her belly in a mass of tingles. They became

inseparable. And so did her psychotic attitude. She went out

of her way to be feisty and compulsive just to see the flash

of passion in his eyes.

Her life began to revolve around his excitement.

That was, until she fell in love.

Then shit got real.

Everything inside her fractured. Including her mental

stability. Each day brought clarity to their situation. Judd

was famous for dating her exact opposite. Prim and proper

women with impeccable manners and professional dress

sense. He was a gentleman by nature. Not this ferocious,

gritty man.

Their time together had an expiry date and she grew torn

between pulling away and clinging tighter.

She began inserting warnings into their daily

conversations. We can’t do this forever. Once the tour is over

I’m leaving. You need someone who isn’t so crazy. Not once

did he acknowledge her insecurities. He didn’t care then, like

he didn’t care when she left.

So damn pathetic.

She reached behind her neck, unclasped the necklace

hidden under her shirt and placed the ring dangling from the

dainty chain into her palm. It was the same ring she’d worn

hanging from her neck since the day she walked away.

It no longer had a place on her hand. It never really did

to begin with. She shouldn’t have accepted his gift when

their end was already in sight. But she’d been completely

messed up. In a tangled wreckage of love and insecurities,

that made her think a commitment ring could fix everything.

Two weeks later she was gone.

Maybe walking out was just another psychotic bender

aimed at inspiring more profound sex, but he didn’t come

after her. Apart from a missed call on her cell and a few text

messages, he’d let her go, only proving her theory that

they’d never been destined to have a future together.

“Come on, Harper.” Judd banged on the door. “This can

go on forever, but I’d prefer if it didn’t.”

She closed her eyes and squeezed her hand around the

gold. There were two choices. When the bus stopped, she

could sneak back to the bathroom, check the GPS on her cell

and text her brother to come save her. He’d probably start a

fight with Tank and get his ass kicked in the process, but

he’d get her out of here. Or she could enjoy this slip into the

past and use it to say a proper goodbye—the one she

hadn’t given him all those months ago.

“Harper.”

“I heard you. ” Her lips twitched at the adrenaline spike

that always accompanied dueling with him.

“You’ve got five seconds.”

She sighed and stuffed the jewelry into her pocket. God

knew he was probably preparing the necessary tools to take

the door off its hinges. “I’m coming. I’m coming.”

She splashed water on her face, patted down the stray

strands of her hair and yanked the door open to his looming

figure. He stepped forward, placing his hands on either side

of the frame and caged her in.

“Finished?” He raised a taunting brow.

“With this?” She waved a hand between them and

scooted out from underneath his arm. “Barely. You dragged

me here for a reason, and I intend to speed up the process.”

The curve of his lips increased her pulse. He stalked her,

making her retreat toward his private room at the rear of the

vehicle. She could’ve closed the door in his face and flicked

the lock. At least she should’ve. Instead, she continued

backtracking. Her calves hit the bed and the momentum,

along with their cruising speed down the freeway, sent her

toppling onto the mattress.

“Sex wasn’t exactly what I had in mind.” He reached out

a hand, all gentlemanly charm and casual grace. It was his

blazing eyes and the hungered lick of his lower lip that

spoke of seduction. “I’ll adapt to the change in plans,

though.”

“I bet you will.” She refused his offering and gripped

the quilt for strength. His gaze lowered, focusing on the

fingers she had clutched tight into the material.

“You’re not wearing my ring.” His tone was flat, almost

lifeless.

“No.” She fought to keep her grip in place and not wring

her hands together. “I pawned it,” she lied. “The easiest

grand I’ve ever made.”

He laughed, his tempting lips spreading in a way that

had her chin lifting to get closer. “A grand? Really?” He

retreated to lean against the wall. “The broker must’ve loved

you.”

She shrugged. “We were both pleased with the

transaction.”

“You didn’t get a second opinion on the price?”

“Why bother? I didn’t need to keep it when we were no

longer together. So I spent the money on booze and drank

you out of my life. Any more than a grand and my liver

never would’ve recovered from the bender.”

At least half her statement was true. She hadn’t been

able to let go of the keepsake. She needed to be reminded of

him. Not only of the memories sprinkled with perfection, but

the ones that forewarned a future with this man was a

fairytale concept.

He raised a brow and inclined his head. “Well then, I’m

glad you didn’t get the half a mil the rock was worth. You

definitely wouldn’t have drunk your cheap ass through that

in this lifetime.”

She frowned up at him. Was he kidding? Half a mil?

Half a fucking mil! She’d been wearing a ring worth five

hundred thousand dollars around her neck like a trophy for

the last year? That stupid son of a bitch.

“You said it was some kind of commitment ring,” she

seethed. “Who wastes that much money on a damn

commitment ring?”

His jaw ticked again, and the flair of his nostrils dried

her throat.

“Surprised?” His mask of indifference turned her blood

to ice. “You didn’t think I’d spend that kind of money on

you?”

She broke eye contact. No, she hadn’t thought he’d

spend that on her. Not when he hadn’t chased after her. The

more time that passed without hearing from him, the more

adamant she became that their relationship was a sham. It

was all a hoax. She hadn’t been herself, not entirely, and she

definitely hadn’t seen a piece of the gentleman Judd was

known to be. They were both playing a role in an exciting

sex game. Nothing more. Nothing less.

But five hundred thousand dollars? Holy fuck !

“Harper?”

Her vision became flooded with him as he decimated the

distance between them. He kicked her feet apart and pushed

between her knees, the heat of his legs making her entire

body sizzle.

“You didn’t think you were worthy of a ring worth half a

million dollars?”

He was suffocating her, when all she wanted was space

—to breathe, to think, to cease feeling. She pushed at his

stomach and stood. “My value isn’t up for discussion. I’m

just surprised at how frivolous you are with your money.”

“Frivolous?” He got in her face, clawed his hand into

her hair and held her tight through a kiss that lasted seconds

yet rocked her from head to toe. “That ring was—” He

clamped his lips together, the addictive fire in his eyes

flaring bright. “That ring was a symbol of how much you

meant to me.”

“A symbol?” She didn’t back away. She kept their faces

mere inches apart as she stared up at him. “I think what was

more symbolic was the way you didn’t fight for us.” She

dusted her palms together between their chests. “You

brushed that shit off like it was any given Tuesday and

never looked back.” She shrugged. “So neither did I.”

“I’ve got pride, Harper,” he snarled. “I wasn’t gonna

beg, when I didn’t know why you left in the first place.”

She gave a derisive laugh. “No, Judd Hart doesn’t beg.

But instead he’ll kidnap and hold hostage.”

“Let’s drop the pretense that you want to leave. We

both know it’s bullshit.”

“Do you know what else is bullshit?” She ground her

teeth together and increased her glare, overwhelmed with

her own pride. “The fact I’ve never been exposed to the so-

called gentleman you’re supposed to be. Why is that, Judd?

Wasn’t I good enough?”

“Insecurity doesn’t suit you, princess.” He swung

around, kicked the door shut with his foot and then moved

back to smother her comfort zone. “Besides, you never

seemed the type to be attracted to manners and polite

conversation.”

There it was, the reality that he didn’t know a thing

about her. Uncertainty and self-doubt were her constant

companion. Especially around him. She would’ve begged

like an over-energetic pup for a mere taste of what he gave

to those worthy women.

She supposed there were different rules for people who

weren’t academics or didn’t have a bank balance worth more

than four figures.

“Fuck you,” she whispered. There was nothing else left

to say.

“You keep saying that like it’s an insult,” he growled.

“You know better than anyone how much your venom turns

me on.”

“Go to hell.” Her inability to stop taunting him made her

want to tear her hair out. He made her mindless with a mere

look. Even the reminder of their incompatibility couldn’t

dampen her need. She had to be taken over by him.

Devoured. Even though he’d eventually spit her back out in

a thousand tiny pieces.

“See.” He smirked. “You’re merely tempting me now.”

He was so close, the delicate caress of his breath

brushing her mouth. It would be a waste to push him away.

Even if the aftermath would be punishing. She’d have to

hold in the multitude of endearments that had grown,

festered and eventually turned to bile in her belly during the

time they were together. Exposing her undiluted feelings for

him would only leave her more vulnerable.

“I hate you,” she sneered. She hated him and loved him

in equal measure. He killed her and invigorated her at the

same time. He tore her limb from limb and was still the only

man to make her feel whole.

He chuckled and the curl of his lips made her belly stop,

drop and roll. “I love you, too, Harper.”

All the air left her lungs with an overly dramatic

whoosh. He’d never said those words before. Never even

hinted at it. “You don’t love me.”

“Yeah, I do.” He frowned at her. “How could you not

know that?” He gripped her face in his palms and stared

deep into her eyes. “You knew I loved you, right?”

She breathed him in and let his scent solidify her lungs.

“We can’t do this again.”

“Yeah, we can.”

She shook her head. “Judd—”

He cut off her reply with his mouth. Her thoughts, too.

He kissed her like the world was ending. Like life would

cease to exist if their lips parted. She’d never been held so

tight, so lovingly, and in that moment, she wondered if her

soul would die when she walked away again. And she

would walk away again…just not right now. Not when he

felt like perfection in her arms.

She matched the hunger of his mouth, licking, nipping,

sucking. He gripped her hips and ground into her, the

hardness of his erection grating over her pubic bone. Her clit

responded with a mass of tingles that tore a moan from her

throat.

“Damn you, Judd.” This moment in heaven was purely

temporary, and that was okay. After what they’d already

been through, tomorrow would be filled with regret

regardless.

She yanked off her shirt, threw it to the floor and began

unbuckling her jeans. Skin to skin was where this was

headed, and she couldn’t get there fast enough. Her panties

were already wet, her aching pussy pulsing with the thought

of what was to come.

“Underwear off,” he demanded, running his hand into

her hair, holding her tight.

They shucked the rest of their clothes in between heart-

fluttering kisses and gasps for breath. The passion was

everything it used to be and more. The heat had increased.

The heartache, too.

“Bed. Now.” She couldn’t even hear her words over the

blood pulsing through her ears.

He gripped her waist and tugged her closer, evaporating

the space between them. She clung to his shoulders as they

collapsed onto the mattress in a mass of arms and legs and

lips. He fell on top of her, his hard chest pressed deep into

hers, his knees nudging her thighs apart.

“This changes nothing.” She wrapped her legs around

him and chose to ignore his chuckle.

“Whatever you say, princess.”

She tugged his hair, and he responded with a grind of

his hips. The head of his shaft was poised at her entrance.

Tempting. Teasing. She wasn’t going to beg. She refused.

But the devilish sparkle in his hazel eyes said he already

knew how close she was to succumbing.

“Don’t look at me like that.” She turned her head,

needing to deny him one last time before she lost the battle.

That’s when the scent filled her nose. Perfume.

Perfume that was plastered to his sheets.

Perfume that wasn’t hers.

Chapter Four

Judd sensed the moment Harper’s arousal morphed into

psychotic outrage.

“You didn’t have the foresight to change the sheets?”

she screeched and shrunk his balls with her glare. “I can

smell other women in your bed.”

He let her scramble out from beneath him to reach the

edge of the mattress before he swung his arm around her

waist and dragged her back beneath him. He settled on top

of her again, this time pinning her arms above her head.

“Let’s discuss this like adults.”

Her eyes widened and she began to thrash. “Get off me,

you son of a bitch.”

“Watch your mouth.” He loved her dirty tongue,

fantasized about it, hungered for it. Just as much as he loved

her angst when he bossed her around. The split second of

widened eyes and flared nostrils was akin to a shot of

adrenaline…straight into his dick.

“How many women have you had in here, Judd?” She

was panting, her gorgeous breasts rising and falling. “I’m

supposed to believe you want me back when your sheets

smell like something out of the Playboy mansion?”

Three. There’d been exactly three.

The first woman he slept with was out of anger.

Mourning. He’d been drunk and angry and looking for an

outlet. He wouldn’t even classify the act as sexual. It was

too sterile. Merely going through the motions without

pleasure or thought.

He was in a better headspace by the second. There were

no inhibitors—liquid, powder, or otherwise. He’d been

sober. Back to his gentlemanly ways with a shy, polite

stranger. And the act was equally loathsome.

The third had quickly followed and was the result of a

thought out plan.

When he’d been a teenager, his uncle had caught him

smoking while his parents were at work. Punishment came in

the form of tough love. His uncle took a seat and demanded

Judd keep puffing until vomit spewed from his nose like a

garden hose.

It took three cigarettes to eradicate all future curiosity.

It took three women to cement his lack of interest in

anyone of the opposite sex other than Harper.

He deliberately slept with the third woman quickly after

the second to increase his self-loathing. He strove for the

compounded revulsion he’d experience when he smoked

those cigarettes, and he succeeded. There hadn’t been

another woman since. There was only a stronger pull toward

the woman currently beneath him.

“There were a few,” he answered honestly and didn’t

enjoy the front row seat to Harper’s jealousy.

She clenched her fists and struggled against his hold.

“Well having the scent of whores drifting into my nose has a

slightly dampening effect on my libido.” She wiggled,

testing his restraint as she inevitably brushed her pubic

bone against his shaft. “Get off me.”

“Why? Because you’re pissed I tried to move on?” He

lowered his chest onto hers and got in her face. “You’re the

one who left me.”

“I don’t appreciate rolling around in the scent of your

whores.”

He chuckled, right in her face and squeezed her wrists

tighter at the predictable thrashing. “That whore scent is

you.”

She growled and tried to draw her knee up between

them. That was it. He drew the line when his prized

possession was being earmarked for assassination.

“Harper, that perfume is yours.” Not the one she was

wearing today, but the one she’d obsessively worn a year

ago. He’d purchased the brand online a month after she left,

and slept with her scent on his pillows like a fucking

homesick child ever since.

“I’m not wearing anything that smells like that,” she

seethed, her gorgeous lips ruby red with vehemence.

“No. Not now, but you used to.” He narrowed his gaze,

giving her a wordless warning not to pummel him as he

released one of her wrists. “That whore scent is the perfume

you used to wear when we were together last.”

He reached for the bedside table and riffled through the

top drawer until his fingers brushed cold glass. “See.” He

placed the square bottle on the mattress beside her head.

“It’s your whore sent on the sheets. Not anyone else’s.”

She remained quiet, her head resting on his pillow as

she eyed the perfume with a frown. “Why do you even have

that?”

“Because I love your whore scent.”

She shot him a glare. “Can you stop saying whore

scent?”

“Merely using your colorful description, princess.”

She sighed and turned her focus back to the perfume

bottle. “I still don’t understand why.” Her voice was soft,

hitting him with another dose of her unexpected

defenselessness.

“Because I missed you, and that whor— delightful

scent was the closest I could get to having you back.”

Her lips parted on silent words, her body still tense

beneath him.

Yes, princess, I’m serious.

“You were the last woman in this bed.” He rested his

weight against her, needing to feel more skin against skin. “I

couldn’t bring anyone else in here.”

This bus was his sanctuary. Pop icons and rock gods

could tour with as many women as they liked. He was a solo

artist for a reason. He enjoyed his peace and the time alone

while travelling to the next city.

Harper didn’t realize the last tour was unique. He

probably should’ve told her how monumental it was for her

to worm her way into his private space. He probably

should’ve told her a lot of things. But as soon as she’d

walked away, he’d been relieved he didn’t.

“I want to believe you.” The tension dissolved from her

limbs.

“But?” He couldn’t take the misery in her eyes. “I’ve

never lied to you. I’ve only ever wanted to make you

happy.”

They’d tussled like this many times and not once had

vulnerability stared back at him like it did now. Something

had changed her in their months apart. He just hoped it

wasn’t something that would keep her from him permanently.

“Talk to me.” He rolled to his side, giving her space.

“Tell me why you walked away.”

Those precious lips parted, and he held his breath

waiting for an answer that never came. She rolled onto her

stomach, covering flawless parts of her body and exposing

him to the smooth curves of her delectable ass.

This new, sensitive part of her awakened something

different inside him. It shoved aside the adrenaline bursts

and heart palpitations and replaced the excitement with an

eagerness to comfort her. He’d never felt it before. Not for

Harper anyway. She had a way of wordlessly saying fuck

you to emotion and had always made him second-guess if she

needed those sweet nothings other women craved.

“You purchased the perfume to remind yourself of me?”

Her voice was a delicate caress over his ears.

“I did.” His pride was being battered. Pummeled. “I

missed you. When you left, it knocked my legs out from

beneath me. I had no idea there were problems between us.”

He couldn’t tear his gaze from her. He watched every

movement, the way her shoulders slumped and her chest

expanded with a tired breath. She wasn’t herself. He’d

witnessed her exhaustion before. This was different. This

was an entirely new woman.

“Can I ask you something?” She glanced over her

shoulder, the picture of perfection.

“Anything.”

“When we were together, did you ever wish you were

with someone who was less…”

“Crazy?” He chuckled. “Intense?” He leaned in and

kissed her shoulder. Perfect?

She gave a sad smile, her gaze never leaving his.

“Yeah.”

“I don’t have anyone else in my life like you.” His past

hadn’t held a glimpse of crazy or intense. He was known for

the sweet and demure women he dated. “Your energy is

contagious—”

“Along with my bad habits?” She raised a brow. “I

heard about your outburst against staff in a Seattle hotel.”

He cringed at the reminder of the last night he’d slept

with someone other than Harper. That explosion was the

exact reason he needed to remain reserved in the public eye.

He wrote love songs. He wrote about emotions and women

and affection. Acting like an asshole in public tore all

credibility from his lyrics and sales plummeted, which

resulted in irate calls from his label, not to mention his

mother. It’s all about mark etability, Judd. “You must’ve

rubbed off on me. And I’m all the better for it.”

“I bet your assistant doesn’t agree. Or Tank. Or even

your label.”

Yep. She’d nailed it. “They have no right to judge you.

Or us, for that matter.”

She broke eye contact and nodded into the pillow.

“Why do you seem disappointed by my answer?”

She sucked in another one of those exhaustive breaths

and then glanced over her shoulder to shoot him a full smile.

A fake, flawless curve of her lips. “I’m not disappointed.”

Not disappointed, yet not telling the truth either. He

could see it in her eyes.

She rolled onto her side, blowing his mind and

hardening his cock with the exposure of her body. Her

breasts were still as luscious, the patch of curls at the apex

of her thighs trim, leading to the smooth skin beneath.

She inched closer and wrapped her hand around his

neck. “You missed me.” She nipped his bottom lip, stealing

every thought from his mind with the tiny pulse of pain.

“Isn’t that sweet?”

Sweet? Fuck . He was already drowning in her

seduction. She was a temptress. A witch. She dissolved all

the gentlemanly pretense in his body and replaced it with

need and addiction. “The things I want to do to you are far

from sweet.”

“Mmm?” She nuzzled his nose and nipped at his lip

again. “Prove it.”

“Gladly.” He palmed the back of her head and plastered

his mouth against hers. Their tongues collided in a harsh

dance while their hips rocked together in a slow tempo. His

cock was pulsing with every brush of her skin, demanding

more. Demanding everything. He could already feel pre-

come beading at his slit, the precursor announcing his

restraint was non-existent.

Her hair cascaded between their noses, a honeyed,

allusive scent that he wanted to lick from her skin. And her

taste. Fuck . Her flavor was sweet and tinged with lust while

her tongue beat away his pride and made him pliable to her

every whim. He didn’t know how or why she did it, but he

was completely lost to her. He would never crave another

the way he did with Harper.

“I’ve missed this.” She kissed him, all lips and tongue

and teeth.

“Me, too.” He gripped her ass in his palm and squeezed

the plump flesh. “You’re too damn perfect, princess.”

She nudged his shoulder with her hand, demanding he

roll onto his back, then climbed on top of him with exquisite

beauty that belied the evil temptress burning bright in her

eyes.

She was one in a million. A gift. A fluke. He refused to

believe this was everyday love. The world couldn’t function

if it was. No man on earth would be able to hold a

decipherable thought when they had a woman like this

waiting in their bed.

God knew he couldn’t.

He’d been in a tumble dryer of bewilderment when they

were last together. He didn’t pay attention to the outside

world. He went through the motions—eating, drinking,

sleeping—with one woman constantly on his mind.

The only thing that came naturally was his music. And

the reason it was entirely effortless was because of Harper.

When he sang, he sang for her. When he scribbled lyrics, he

scribbled them about her. Even when he was on stage, he

performed for her.

She was his restoration and his destruction.

He placed his hands on her waist and ran them down to

her hips, relearning every curve. Her skin had always amazed

him. So smooth, so soft. She rocked against him, teasing the

length of his shaft with her moistened pussy as he traced his

palms over her stomach to the mounds of her breasts. Her

nipples were still the most alluring shade of deep ruby,

tempting his tongue. He tweaked the peaks, eliciting a jerk

from her hips and a gentle whimper from her mouth.

She held his gaze with confidence as he rubbed his

thumbs back and forth over the side of her breasts, up to her

neck and down her sternum.

“You’re awfully slow tonight,” she murmured.

“Just enjoying the process.” He slid his hands down to

her hips and ground his pelvis into her. “You never know

what you’ve got until it’s gone. But now that I have it back,

I’m going to enjoy the fuck out of it.”

She smiled and rolled her pretty blue eyes. “You’re so

sweet.”

“You want sweet?” He quirked a brow. “Like the truth of

knowing I fell asleep with thoughts of you every single

night since you’ve been gone?”

She diverted her gaze to his chest.

“Or that I couldn’t answer questions from the crew of

where you were for weeks because I couldn’t admit to

myself that you weren’t coming back?”

“Don’t ruin this,” she whispered.

“I’m not trying to.” He was only being honest.

Evidently, his feelings still weren’t a topic for discussion.

“Why don’t you lean those gorgeous breasts toward me

and reach into my top drawer for a condom?”

She did as requested with relief heavy in her features.

Fuck . He was flying blind. She wouldn’t talk, and he

didn’t know why he suddenly felt the need to push for it.

But he’d take her pleasure over her sorrow any day. There’d

be time to demand answers after.

He arched his neck and sucked her nipple into his

mouth. Her gasp filled him with pride. Damn it, that emotion

would be the death of him.

“Don’t stop,” she demanded, rustling in his drawer,

knocking over things and scattering others.

Her sex rubbed faster along his length, back and forth

until the friction alone was enough to have him clenching

his ass to fight the need to come. He continued sucking,

inching closer to the brink, slipping further under her spell.

He released her flesh with a pop and smiled at her

responding whimper. “Condom.” He held out a hand.

She sat up straight, the heat of her sex still positioned

over his shaft, and ripped the packet open with her teeth. “I

think I can handle this part,” she drawled.

His cock jerked with anticipation as she leaned forward

and gave him a chaste kiss. She descended, crawling down

his body, until those delicious lips were poised in the kill

zone.

“Would you like me to put this on for you?” She raised

a brow, her taunting mouth curved at one side.

Fuck, yes . Fuck, yes. Fuck , yes. “I guess.”

She snapped her teeth and instinct made him flinch.

Damn her.

“Viper,” he breathed, clenching the bed covers at his

sides.

“I thought I was your princess,” she cooed.

She gripped the base of his shaft and placed the

condom at the tip of his cock. He was shaking—his legs, his

arms, his vision. He never thought he’d be back here. In

heaven. About to be blown by an angel. His relief was

palpable. He could’ve pulled buckets of it from the air

between them.

With delicate fingers, she lowered the protection a mere

inch, her confident gaze eating him up as she did it. She

licked her lips and he had to close his eyes to fight the

fantasy brought to life. Her chuckled breath heated his

crotch mere seconds before the warmth of her mouth

engulfed the head of his dick.

“Fuck.” He clenched his fists tighter, demanding self-

control. He could see her in his mind, could envisage the

way her sensuous mouth worked to push the condom down

his length. She nudged further, over and over and over again

until the tip of his shaft was poised at the back of her throat.

She pulled back, leaving him senseless and forsaken.

“Don’t stop.” He opened his eyes to find her smiling

back at him.

“You know, I remember making the same demand not

long ago.” She climbed up his body, bringing them chest to

chest. “I didn’t get what I wanted. So neither do you.”

He growled and wrapped his arms around her. He

dragged her down to the mattress and onto her back, caging

her beneath him. “You’re such a witch.”

“Nope.” She shook her head. “I’m a princess.” She

wove her legs around his waist and pulsed her hips in an

endless taunt he couldn’t deny. “Now fuck me.”

“Jesus Christ.” He couldn’t deny her. He didn’t even

want to pretend he could.

He tilted his hips and closed his eyes as the head of his

shaft glided through her slick heat. He’d forged a successful

career through his lyrics, but for once, twenty-six letters

weren’t enough ammunition to form a worthy explanation of

this moment. Nothing could describe what it felt like to be

home. To be happy. To be entirely content with the prospect

of one specific woman for the rest of his life.

“You’re mine.”

He was going to do his best to destroy her before he left

Denver. Destroy her for any other man. And any other

future.

“Mine, princess.”

Chapter Five

Everything inside Harper clenched as he thrust into her.

He filled her, stretched her, and made every inch of her skin

ripple with goosebumps.

She clung to him, gliding her nails along the skin of his

back, increasing her grip with every lethargic undulation. His

half-lidded gaze brought back memories. It reminded her of

the pain of love and the heartache of leaving.

“Stop staring and kiss me.” The taunts poured from her.

She didn’t have conscious thought of their arrival. They

simply flew from her tongue. She circled his hips, grinding

into each of his movements to add more friction to her

pulsing clit.

“I like staring.” He leaned closer, the mingled brown and

green of his irises blazing. “But I like kissing you even

more.”

Her heart constricted as his lips brushed hers, lazy and

deliberate. She sank everything she had into that kiss—her

heart, her agony, her longing. She dug her nails into his back

with one hand and wove the other into his hair, holding onto

him for dear life.

Their tongues tangled, stoking her pleasure, inspiring a

faster pace of her hips. Her core contracted with each thrust,

clinging to the sensation, begging for just a little more. Her

release was close, hovering on the edges of every

movement.

Unable to breathe, she pulled her head away and

gasped to fill her lungs. His hair brushed her cheek, the chin-

length strands tickling her as his lips trailed a path from her

neck to her shoulder.

“I don’t want to lose you again, Harper,” he murmured

against her skin. “Don’t let me lose you.”

Too late. She was already lost—to passion, to pain, to

panic.

“I’m close.” She ignored the hopelessness and

tightened her legs around him, bucking her hips harder. “So

close.”

He growled and wove his arms around her biceps to grip

her shoulders from behind. His thrusts became harsh and

delirious. She could stay like this for hours, walking the

tightrope of ecstasy, if it meant not falling into the aftermath.

“Harder,” she panted, trying to push away the fear for

tomorrow. “Faster.”

“Bossy,” he whispered into her ear.

She anticipated retaliation, instead she received blissful

acquiescence. He increased his rhythm and gripped her

thigh to plunge deeper. He kissed her everywhere—her jaw,

her neck, her cheek, and eventually her mouth, sending her

toppling, not only into an orgasm, but into unstoppable

renewed love.

“Judd.” It was all the warning she could give.

“I know, princess.”

He increased his rhythm, holding her tighter as her

pussy spasmed and reality blurred. She whimpered through

the torturous pleasure knowing it would be short-lived.

Knowing that as soon as the endorphins wore off, she’d be

broken and scarred with a breathtaking man collapsed on

top of her. And still she couldn’t stop grinding into him,

closing her eyes to the guttural sound of his release and the

intensity of his grip on her thigh.

“Mine,” he growled, over and over and over, making the

word sink into her brain, making it tattoo her soul.

Yours.

She was. Entirely.

Her pussy constricted with the last pulses of orgasm,

and she released her nails from his skin. His thrusts slowed,

the decreasing rhythm warning of the solitude that was to

come.

He panted into her neck, his hands still gripping her

shoulders. “I wish you knew I loved you before today.”

She squeezed her eyes shut. “We had a different way of

communicating than most people.”

“We won’t anymore. I’ll tell you every day if I have to.”

She sighed, long, loud, and full of frustration. “I had sex

with you, Judd. It doesn’t mean we’ve fallen back into old

habits. You’re still leaving tomorrow.”

“You can come with me.”

Her chest clenched, squeezing every ounce of blood

from her heart. “No.”

“I’ll win you over if it’s the last thing I do.” His lips

moved against her collarbone. Pure laziness. Pure

confidence.

“No.” She pushed at his pecs and met his gaze. “Just

stop, okay?”

Dark ferocity stared back at her. “Why? Because I’m

getting to you? I might actually be winning already?”

“No.” Her denial was pathetic. But so was that smirk

plastered across his lips. “Asshole.”

He hitched her leg higher over his hip, reminding her of

their connection. “You’re falling for me again.”

Falling was an understatement. There was nothing that

mimicked the way she currently felt. Nothing in the realm of

love and lust that perfectly encapsulated the utterly

terrifying sensations overwhelming her.

“Get over yourself.”

He chuckled. “You’re not walking away, princess.”

She shoved at his pecs again. Shoved and shoved and

shoved until he rolled off of her with his belly convulsing

with laughter.

“I missed this.” He scooted from the bed and strode his

naked ass over to open the door. “I’ll be back in a second.

Don’t go anywhere.” He padded down the aisle and

disappeared into the bathroom, clicking the door shut

behind him.

As if she had anywhere else to go.

She leaned on her elbows and took in the pitch black

sight through the windshield straight ahead of her. The bus

had stopped at some time during their scramble for pleasure

and was now dark inside and out. Although Tank wasn’t the

usual driver, she assumed he was in the spare bunk,

hopefully with a set of earplugs firmly planted in his ears.

She had no clue where they were, so walking home wasn’t

an option. And the thought of calling her brother or a cab

didn’t set well either.

She wanted to stay. For a few hours at least. Until the

lust faded and reality dawned with the rising sun. Daylight

always brought clarity, and tomorrow would be no different.

If anything it would be harsher, highlighting her stupidity in

Technicolor.

The bathroom door reopened with a deafening click and

her pulse quickened at the silhouette of Judd before her. He

padded into the room, flicked off the light and closed the

door.

The covers flicked back on his side and the mattress

dipped with his weight. She held her breath as his arm

snaked around her waist and instead of snuggling into her,

he dragged her back, pulling her into his chest. Making her

come to him. Always making her come to him.

“I need to know why you left me,” he murmured into her

hair.

“Go to sleep, Judd.” She scooted under the sheet and

nestled back into him, unable to stop herself. “We’ll talk

about it later.”

He kissed her shoulder, branding the spot forever.

“Later, when?”

“Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow,” he repeated on a breath. “I’ll hold you to

it.”

The room fell silent, the world dying under the noise of

her thoughts. She clung to the arm around her waist,

wishing she could be the person needed to maintain this

relationship. But she couldn’t. She’d spent her childhood in

places she didn’t belong. Scholarships had allowed her to be

a temporary part of high society, rubbing shoulders with

teenage millionaires and entitled brats. She lived each day

surrounded by wealth she couldn’t experience and prestige

she didn’t deserve. Then her father became sick and she had

to change to a public school closer to home. One without

expensive text books that was also overflowing with kids

who considered her previous education a point of

contention.

She hadn’t fit in with the rich, and the less fortunate

didn’t want her either. She’d been a loner who didn’t belong

on either side, and she wouldn’t put herself through that

again by staying with Judd.

He was the scholarship from her childhood. He was the

wealth and prestige she didn’t deserve. He was all the things

she wasn’t, and the differences between them had been

slammed in her face too many times to ignore.

She sighed into the silence and waited until he was

purring with slumber before she slid out from under his arm.

She dressed quietly and crept to the door as she finger

combed her hair. He didn’t wake when she turned the latch,

and she didn’t hear him stir with her progression down the

aisle.

“Where the hell are you going?” Tank pulled back the

curtain to the spare bunk beside the booth seat and blinked

his sleepy gaze at her.

“Can’t sleep.”

He huffed and fell back against his pillow. “There’s food

in the fridge if you’re hungry. Or vodka in the freezer if you

prefer.”

“I’m good. Thanks.” She slid into the booth and pulled

her feet onto the seat, cuddling her knees to her chest. The

bus was shrouded in darkness, the moonlight from outside

barely shining in through the tinted windows.

She was alone in the middle of nowhere, and all her

heart wanted to do was climb back into bed with the man she

had to say goodbye to. He didn’t even know her. Not really.

She’d placed too many barriers between them, hiding herself

behind a shield of sarcasm in an effort to stop herself from

falling too hard.

She’d descended in a tumbling free fall anyway.

A thud sounded behind her, and she turned to find Tank

striding toward her in boxer shorts and a whole heap of

exposed muscle. “You plan on staying out here for a while?”

“Yeah. I’m organizing an escape plan.”

He scowled. “Not on my watch.”

She released a breath of defeated laughter. “I’m not

going anywhere, Tank. You can go back to bed.”

“Want to talk about it?” He slid into the booth opposite

her, shoved his elbows onto the table and sank his head in

his hands.

“Nope.”

“Are you going to talk to him about it?”

“Nope.”

“Want me to mind my own business?”

She mimicked his pose, sinking her head into her hands.

“More than anything in this world.”

“That’s my cue to go back to bed, then.” He shot her a

half-hearted smirk and pushed to his feet. “You sure you’re

okay?”

His palm glided over her shoulder, the comfort sinking

into her chest like an anvil. She nodded and kept her gaze

fixed straight ahead, on the blackness outside the bus

windshield. She wasn’t okay. She was nowhere near the

vicinity. And nothing could fix the gaping hole in her chest.

“I’m good.”

He squeezed her shoulder and left her to deal with her

solitude. Minute by minute, she ran over the events of the

night not knowing how she’d turned into the lunatic who

cursed like a drunken sailor and threw vases with the intent

of inflicting at least a little harm. Judd made her lose all sense

of reason. He warped her reality and turned her life into a

roller coaster that wouldn’t end.

It needed to end.

She had to reclaim normalcy. At least she told herself

she did. The stamina and faked confidence it took to stand

by his side was out of her depth. More so when they

mingled amongst his musician crowd.

“Tank?”

“Yeah,” his deep voice drifted from the bunk.

“When all is said and done in the morning, will you

drive me home?”

“Is that what you really want?” His question was

casual, without inflection, but they both knew he wasn’t

talking about the ride.

“Yeah.” She swallowed over the pain in her throat. “It’s

for the best.”

She massaged her scalp with the tips of her fingers,

wishing she could push away the punishing thoughts

threatening to drag her under. She did love Judd, she just

didn’t love herself when she was around him.

“Kyle is bringing us breakfast in a few hours. I can

borrow his rental to take you wherever you need to go.”

The exit strategy should’ve brought relief. Instead, her

insides tightened and agony consumed her. She laid down

on the bench seat, scrunched in the fetal position with her

hands curled under her head. She couldn’t sleep next to

Judd again. Sex was as clinical as you wanted it to be, and

even though what they’d shared tonight was far from

clinical, falling asleep in his arms was too heavy a burden for

her to bear.

He’d said he loved her. And it shouldn’t have been a

shock. But it was. Along with the money he’d spent on that

ring. A damn commitment ring.

“Thank you.” Her words were barely audible, barely

flittering over the sound of Judd’s muted snore from the

back of the bus.

She closed her eyes and begged for sleep. For anything

that would bring a glimpse of peace before the storm

otherwise known as tomorrow.

“Harper?” Tank murmured.

“Yeah?”

“You know you’re going to kill him if you walk away

again.”

Her heart fluttered, pulsed, threatened to stop its erratic

beat. There was nothing she could do. She would hurt him

by leaving, and if she stayed, she be forever crazed with

senselessness and continuously reminded that she didn’t

have a place in his world. Their lives weren’t meant to

intertwine.

“It’s for the best,” she repeated and hoped to hell she

was right.

Chapter Six

Judd woke to a faint tap, tap, tap coming from the front

of the bus. He sat up and stared down the aisle, seeing

Harper’s head pop up from the booth seat. He blinked then

blinked again.

What the fuck ?

She hadn’t slept beside him? He ran a hand along the

sheet at his side and clenched his teeth at the lack of

lingering body heat. Damn her .

He swung his legs to the side of the bed and snatched

his jeans off the floor. Her lack of interest in getting back

together scared him. She’d always warned him she wasn’t

going to stick around. She wasn’t going to be a permanent

part of his life. He hadn’t wanted to believe it. He’d actually

hoped the threats were another way of keeping him on his

toes.

There was too much lust keeping her at his side and too

much love pulling him toward her to ever imagine a life

without her.

But she did leave, and he needed to know why to

ensure he did everything to stop it happening again.

The bus door opened and Tank filled the front of the

aisle to greet Kyle at the top of the staircase.

“Morning,” Judd grated as he strode toward them. He

kept his focus trained on his employees, unable to look at

her. Not yet. Not when he was still drugged from sleep and

deprived of waking up beside her.

Tank hit him with a stare filled with pity, giving him a

world of information with his tight lips and concerned eyes

before he even opened his mouth. “Kyle and I are going to

have a chat outside.”

“We are?” His assistant looked between them with a

frown. “What about?”

Tank continued to hold Judd’s attention, letting him

know he hadn’t won Harper over like he’d thought.

“About tonight’s show.” Tank turned to Kyle and

grabbed the boxes from his hands to place them on the small

dining table. “We’ll be back in a few minutes.”

“But I brought breakfast.” Kyle balked. “The croissants

are still warm.”

“Move.” Tank descended the stairs, forcing Kyle

backward.

“I’m going. I’m going.”

The crunch of gravel entered the silence of the bus, the

heavy footsteps disappearing down the desolate road.

“What was that about?” Harper stretched her arms

above her head, the picture of lazy perfection.

He still couldn’t look at her. He didn’t want to see her

lack of emotion when he was so overcome with it that bile

rose in his throat. She had no clue he was devastated to

wake up alone. No clue that, yet again, he was already

mourning the inevitable loss of her.

“You couldn’t even sleep beside me?” Finally, he

lowered his focus, taking in her wide eyes and sleep tousled

hair. She was beautiful, even with the darkened stain of

mascara marking the top of her cheeks.

“I was restless. I didn’t want to keep you awake.”

A derisive laugh vibrated from his throat. “Sure…” She

was ready to leave. He could see it in the defiant lift of her

chin. “You promised me answers, Harper.” His tone wavered,

and he didn’t care at how weak it made him. His pride was

dying under the fear of loss. He just needed to know why.

Why did she leave? Why did she quit loving him? Why

couldn’t they make this work? “What happened between us

that made you walk out on me?”

She huffed out a breath and turned her focus to the road

outside the front windscreen. “How much time do we have

for this conversation?”

“Fucking hell,” he muttered. The bile crept higher,

threatening to bring him to his knees. He’d been reckless

with his feelings before. He’d sprouted his affection to past

lovers in songs. He’d written love letters. He’d inundated

florists with bouquet orders.

Harper was different. She rejected any display of

affection—public, private or otherwise—and her constant

reminders that she was going to leave made him cautious

enough not to push the boundaries. He’d been wary with

her, never knowing if his next step would be the last.

“Here I was thinking you were having as much fun as I

was. How fucking clueless am I?” He grated his knuckles

over his sternum, trying to kill the ache there.

She kept her focus straight ahead, staring into space,

ignoring him.

“Talk to me.” He couldn’t move. Couldn’t get closer.

She’d scorch him if he did. “Explain.”

“Whatever we shared wasn’t working for me anymore.”

She released a heavy breath and turned to face him. “I’m

sorry.”

“Whatever we shared? Jesus Christ.” He stepped back

and bumped into the bar fridge. “Whatever we shared was a

big fucking deal to me. How could it mean nothing to you?”

“It didn’t mean nothing.” She rested her elbows on the

small table and hung her head into her hands.

“But it didn’t mean enough to stick around either,” he

muttered.

“There’s no future with us.” She pinned him with a mere

glimpse of the honesty in her eyes. Pinned him like an insect

to a cork board.

“I don’t fit in. I don’t mesh. I’m on the outside,

constantly looking in on the perfection of your life.” Her

voice grew with confidence. “And that’s fine for a fling that

involves great sex, but I can’t be on the sideline forever.”

“You were never on the sideline,” he growled. “I was

always with you. I wanted to spend all my spare time with

you.”

“Yeah. To have sex. But when it came to public

appearances you wanted me out of the spotlight as soon as

possible. You took me to two award ceremonies, only out of

obligation, and didn’t even broach the subject of attending

the after parties. And not once did you take me out for

dinner with your famous friends.” She raised a check-mate

brow. “Those actions are a clear statement on how you saw

me.”

Fucking hell. His pride rose, burning up his chest and

into his cheeks. “No, Harper. Those actions were a statement

of how much I hate those events and how comfortable I was

in our relationship not to feel obliged to take you. But

obviously my message wasn’t clear. Maybe if you had a

problem, or were eager for the media attention, you

should’ve said something.”

“You know I’m not here for the media, and our problems

were much more than a few parties.”

“Care to elaborate?” he seethed. She was painting him

as the neglectful partner, when all along he’d wanted

nothing more than to bathe her in affection.

She stood and his heart lurched at the sudden

movement. He wasn’t ready for her to leave. They weren’t

finished. They couldn’t be.

“You make me crazy,” her voice rose in the confined

space. “I’m not a psychotic person, Judd. Not around

anyone other than you.”

“I think the security guard with your teeth marks

tattooed in his arm would disagree.”

“This isn’t a joke,” she huffed. “When I’m around you, I

don’t fit in. I don’t even fit into my own skin. I feel like it’s a

persona, like I’m playing a role to get responses from you

that I’ve never looked for with other guys. I say things that I

never would’ve imagined saying to anyone. And I do

things…”

Pink entered her cheeks, from frustration or

embarrassment he wasn’t sure but it was beautiful. So damn

beautiful.

“I throw vases and swear like a trucker.” She panted for

breath and her throat convulsed with a heavy swallow. “You

tear this insanity from me, and it’s not normal. It’s not

healthy. And it’s not me.”

She raised her chin and stared at him, stared until the

silence sliced at him with lethal blows, and he had to hold

himself back from slamming his lips against hers to kiss

some sense into her. Couldn’t she see that it was love?

“Say something,” she whispered.

He shook his head, slow and lazy. “You don’t want to

hear it. You’re already gone.”

“I guess you’re right.” She reached into her pocket and

pulled out something shiny.

A necklace.

She held it up between them and the ring he’d given her

last year fell to the bottom of the chain. “I didn’t pawn it.”

His heart climbed to his throat and pulsed, cutting off

his air.

“I care for you, Judd. But our lives are worlds apart, and

all I really want is to belong somewhere.”

Irony hit him in the sternum, cracking ribs and piercing

flesh. He didn’t fit in either. He’d given up that sensation

when he chose music over an easy existence at the family

business back in Phoenix. He didn’t need the excessive bank

balance or the perks of celebrity status. But he loved music.

And he couldn’t give up the opportunity of touching a large

audience with his songs.

“I can’t quit my career for you.” He wished he could.

God, he wished he could. He really thought they had a

chance, that she was the one.

“I would never ask you to do that. I would never want

you to.” She placed the ring on the table and let the chain

fall into a heap around it. “Tank’s going to drive me home.”

No. He wasn’t ready, yet he couldn’t find the words to

stop her leaving. Pride still clung tight to his ribs and he

fought to let it go. He fought with every step she took

toward the bus door.

“Harper?”

She paused half way down the stairs and looked over

her shoulder.

“You may not think you fit in, but you always felt like

home to me.”

The tiny smile faded, and she quickly turned away.

“Bye, Judd.”

She stepped from the bus, the crunch of her shoes

grating against the deserted street as she strode for Tank,

who stood at a car parked a few feet ahead. He would’ve

killed to have a reason to go after her. For the briefest excuse

to get her to stay. But there was nothing.

His friend helped her into the escape vehicle, then

climbed into the driver’s seat and drove her away—from the

bus, from the road and from his life.

Again.

Chapter Seven

He didn’t chase after her.

She shouldn’t have been surprised. She definitely

shouldn’t have been heart broken. But she was, even more

than the last time.

“Are you okay?” Tank glanced at her from the driver’s

seat.

“I will be.”

He nodded and gave his full attention to the road. “You

did the right thing.”

Wait. What? “I did?”

“Yeah.” He shrugged. “If you’ve been playing him with

a false persona all this time, you were right to walk away.”

“You were listening?” Her cheeks heated at the thought

of Kyle and Tank overhearing her private conversation.

“Believe me, if I had a choice to be anywhere else this

morning, it wouldn’t have been stuck on the roadside,

listening to the two of you bicker in a volume that could’ve

been heard miles away.”

“Well, I wasn’t playing him.” Her heart felt like it was

being removed with an ice cream scoop. She didn’t want

anyone thinking she’d misled Judd. That wasn’t the case. It

was just…complicated. “I wasn’t pretending to be someone

else. I was just…” She sighed and rested her shoulder

against the passenger door window. “I just couldn’t control

who I was around him. I couldn’t control anything.”

“So you weren’t acting under a persona?”

She focused out her window, at the buildings that

glowed with the early morning sunlight. It was going to be a

beautiful day. Clear skies and warm weather. In complete

contrast to the dreary thoughts and cold heart overtaking

her. “I don’t know what I was doing. It wasn’t me. But it

wasn’t not me either…Does that make sense?”

“Not at all.”

See, this was her problem. The entire situation was

confusing. Nothing added up.

Tank cleared his throat. “But then again, I’ve never been

in love.”

She sighed, wishing this big, gruff man would stop

trying to be her shrink.

“I’m pretty sure that’s the answer to all your psychotic

issues.”

“Psychotic?” She glared. “I’m allowed to call myself

names. But you? Not so much.”

He grinned, the biggest grin she’d ever seen his

thuggish features morph into. “My apologies.”

Silence invaded the car. Nothing but the whir of the tires

and the traffic surrounded them. She wanted to reach for the

radio, to turn the volume loud to drown out the thoughts of

Judd, but it would only delay the inevitable need to over

analyze her decision.

“You fit in, Harper.”

She straightened in confusion. She thought she

understood what he said, only she refused to believe it.

“Pardon?”

“You told him you didn’t fit in but you’re wrong. You

fit.” Tank looked at her with solemn eyes. “With him. With

his life. I don’t think he’ll ever find anyone else that will

match him the way you do.”

“No.” She shook her head. “I can’t stand the limelight.

It’s not me.”

“And that’s exactly why you fit. He hates that side of

his career. He doesn’t interact with the crowd because all he

wants to do is sing. He loves the music and everything else

is static that gets in the way. You let him be himself when

every other woman has expected to be wooed with the

limelight. You remind him of how we grew up and what he

wants to return to once the fame fades.”

“That’s a lifetime away.”

Tank inclined his head. “It could be. Or it could be

tomorrow. You never know.”

He reached for the radio and filled the awkward silence

with rock music she wasn’t in the mood for. “And do you

want to know what really pisses me off?”

“Please tell me,” she muttered. “I’m dying to know.”

“The two of you are perfect together.” He shot her a

glare. “But you’ve got an affection phobia, and he’s got too

much pride.”

“Tank—”

“Shut the fuck up, I’m on a roll.”

She raised a brow and settled into a glare.

“I’ll probably lose my job and my best friend for this,

but that ring he gave you wasn’t a fucking commitment ring,

Harper. He planned to propose to you that day.”

She raised her hand to her chest, to the place where the

ring had been carried for the last year. She no longer had it

to comfort her. It was gone. Along with Judd.

“Why didn’t he?” Her tone was weak and pathetic.

“You might want to ask him that. All I know is that it had

nothing to do with him and everything to do with how you

reacted on the day.”

How she reacted? She frowned, trying to rewind the

memories of her life to the moment he’d placed the ring box

in her palm.

She’d been shocked. Almost sickened by the possibility

of what lay inside. She’d known, even before opening the

box, that whatever he gave her would make her fall harder for

him. It scared her. It made her angry. At herself. At her

inability to be normal.

Everything that followed opening the box was a blur…

apart from his murmured stipulation of it being a commitment

ring.

“He wanted to marry me?”

Her? The woman who sang off key and danced out of

rhythm.

“Yeah, he did.”

The past tense didn’t escape her. She could’ve been

married to Judd Hart. She could’ve been the wife of a

swoon-worthy musician.

“It doesn’t change anything,” she whispered, still

reaching for the missing necklace.

“I guess not.”

She lowered her hands to her lap and dug her nails into

her palm. It hurt. Everything. Everywhere. She hated that she

hadn’t truly known Judd in the time they were together. She

loathed that her affection issues were to blame. And the

biggest regret was knowing she couldn’t change any of it

now that they were over.

“Can you take me back to the stadium?”

The car slowed. “I can take you back to the bus if you

like.”

“No, I don’t want to see him again.” Not now. She

couldn’t. “I need to clear my head, and if I go home Nicole

will be all over me.” She needed grounding and funnily

enough the solitude of an empty arena had always helped

when she was touring with Judd.

“Just take me there, and I’ll find my own way home.”

Chapter Eight

Judd stepped off the bus, his gaze cast straight ahead,

his stride strong. He’d stayed away from the stadium all day,

sequestering himself in the private room of his tour bus

while his assistant intermittently barked out how long he

had until he was due on stage.

“You’re late.” Tank came up beside him with one of the

sound technicians following close behind.

“I’m here, aren’t I?” He grabbed the receiver pack from

the tech and clipped it to the back of his pants as he walked.

“The supporting band had to add two songs to their set

to cover your ass.”

Judd planted his feet and glared as he wove the cords

attached to his ear monitors inside his shirt and retrieved

them from the back of his collar. “I’m sure they’ll love the

additional publicity. But just so we’re clear, my schedule

isn’t your responsibility. You’re head of security. Nothing

else.”

Tank smiled. Fucking smiled. “Ouch. Harper really

pissed you off, didn’t she?”

“Don’t. Okay?” He continued walking through the

cemented halls leading toward backstage. “Don’t mention

her name again.”

“Even if she’s in the crowd?”

His feet stopped without his permission. His heart, too.

“She’s what?”

“In the crowd.” Tank theatrically gasped and placed a

hand to his lips. “Oh, sorry. I forgot, I’m just head of

security. Not Cupid. I’ll endeavor to keep my comments to

myself.”

“Don’t be a dick.” Questions were poised on the tip of

his tongue, yet he refused to let them out. Once bitten and

all that crap. She’d walked away from him twice. His pride

couldn’t take a third hit.

Tank’s smile increased, his eyes turning spiteful. “You

know you want to ask. Just spit it out.”

He shook his head. Nope. He wasn’t going to ask why

or how. He was going to take the stage, do his shit, then

leave for Salt Lake as soon as the performance was over. The

miles between him and Harper would stretch. And his ability

to get in her face and talk sense into her would vanish. Just

the way it was supposed to when you’d been castrated

twice by the same woman.

“You’re not going to ask, are you?” Tank taunted.

“Fuck you.”

“Back at ya, you stubborn prick.” Tank shoved at

Judd’s shoulder and helped to untangle the receiver cord

leading up to the ear monitors. “She asked me to drive her

here.”

“Why?” Judd grated.

“She needed to clear her head, or some shit. But I kept

an eye on her. I think she might have fallen asleep while

hiding in the back row of the top tier. Last time I checked,

she was still up there watching the show.”

He didn’t want to ask. He hated that his chest tightened

the longer he refrained. “Did she say anything on the drive

here?”

“She umm…” Tank pressed a hand to his own ear piece

and frowned. “Shit. I’ve gotta go. There’s a fight in the

crowd. I’ll catch up with you when I can.” He took off down

the hall in a run. “Get your ass on stage so these fuckers

don’t get bored and start more problems.”

Judd glanced over his shoulder to the sound tech who

hovered a safe distance behind him. “Am I right to take the

stage?”

The man gave an awkward smile and nodded.

“Everyone is in place and the band is ready. All they need is

you.”

Great. He had mere meters to find the energy and

passion to play to thousands of fans who paid good money

to hear him sing. Problem was, Harper had drained all the

goodness from him. He needed to know why she was still

here. If there was hope.

The constant, nauseous churn of his stomach was

infuriating and nothing he did nudged it from his

consciousness.

“Fuck this.” He broke into a jog, needing to get his

responsibilities over and done with. Tonight would be

another mass of lonely hours, but he still craved the

seclusion of his tour bus and the miles of uninterrupted

road. He needed to move on and cut the ties that held him

hovering close to obsession for a woman who didn’t want

him in return.

“Judd, wait up?”

He turned, finding Kyle behind him.

“How are you feeling?”

Lik e I want to bite the heads off chick ens. “Perfect.”

“Forget her. At least until the end of the show.”

He wanted to scoff, as if forgetting her, even

temporarily, was a possibility, but nodded instead. “Find

Tank. Tell him I want him side stage as soon as he’s

available.”

“Not a problem.”

He shoved the in-ear monitors in place and found a brief

glimpse of peace at the muted chanting. This was it. The

time to fake it like a pro. He shook out the heaviness in his

arms, sucked in a deep breath to try and calm his heart rate

and strode on stage.

“How you doin’ tonight, Denver?”

He didn’t wait for a reply. He gave the subtle hand

signal for the band to kick into the first song and sang until

adrenaline outweighed the heartache.

One song blended into the next, and each time he

glanced side stage he was met with a grim look from Kyle.

Those eyes told him to get his head in the game and

concentrate, but he couldn’t do either when Harper’s

necklace jostled against his neck and the ring dangling from

the end thumped against his heart in an unending beat. He

should take it off. Throw it in the trash. Only he couldn’t

bear to part with it. Not yet.

His intermission breaks came and went without a sign of

Tank or word on Harper. He knew what that meant. And still

he tried to find her in the lead up to his encore.

He paused and glanced to side stage so many times he

knew there would be bad reviews tomorrow. He knew, yet he

continued to do it anyway, holding out for the glimpse of

hope.

Then he was walking off stage for the final time, his

stride strong as he caught sight of the head of his security

team.

“Where is she?”

Tank winced. “We lost her with the fight in the crowd. I

had two of the security guards keeping an eye on her, but

they were distracted when the fight broke out. I don’t know

where she is.”

He nodded through the disappointment. Nodded and

nodded and nodded, all the while wishing the movement

would make him feel a lot less needy. “So she’s not waiting

in my dressing room?”

“I’m sorry.”

Judd swallowed and looked around at the crew who

were already rolling up leads and dismantling equipment.

“Then let’s get this shit packed up so we can get to Salt

Lake.”

“Go freshen up, and I’ll tell Kyle to get the tour bus

ready.”

The thought of driving out of Denver shot a hole

through his chest. Once he was gone, there would be no

coming back. This was it.

“Can you do me a favor?” He reached behind his neck

and unclasped the necklace. “Give this to charity, or pawn it.

Throw it out for all I care.” He held out the jewelry for Tank

to take.

“Don’t be stupid. You know you’ll change your mind

about her ten times before you reach the shower.”

Not this time. “Take it.”

“Fuck off.” Tank shoved at his hand. “If you want to get

rid of it, do it yourself. I’m just the head of security,

remember?” He walked away. “And while you’re finding a

place to dump it, maybe you should think about alternate

responses to her running away, instead of letting her get

away with it.”

“Such as?” Judd yelled over the fading chatter of the

crowd.

Tank threw up his hands and didn’t look back. “You

expect me to have the answers? I don’t know the first thing

about women, let alone crazy-ass bitches like Harper.”

“She’s not a bitch,” Judd muttered, but his response

didn’t matter. Tank was already gone. And so was his hope.

He knew what it was like not to fit in. He’d dealt with the

isolation since the start of his career in the charts. The only

thing that separated his situation from Harper’s was the love

of music to pull him through.

She had nothing.

Except him.

He looked at the ring in his palm, and clenched his fist

around it. He wasn’t stupid enough to think he was a big

enough draw card for her.

He glanced over his shoulder, at the crew who were

onstage pulling apart the set. It was time to leave. He

trudged toward them, into the house lights that bathed him

in a florescent glow. People moved in his periphery, in the

aisles and toward the exits. He didn’t look at any of them,

they were a blur, a nuisance poking his attention.

He clenched his fist tighter and drew back, closing his

eyes as he did it. Then without a second thought, he

launched it into the air and walked away, not even looking to

see where it landed.

It was time to move on and that ring was only holding

him back.

Chapter Nine

Harper watched Judd launch something into the

dwindling crowd. The glint of silver stole her breath and the

recognition put her on her feet.

She ran, practically flew, down the stairs two at a time,

cursing his stupidity as she shoved past people and

squeezed around others in an effort to get to the ground

level. “That’s mine!”

She was taking psychosis to a whole new level. Exiting

fans stopped and stared, security encroached, and the buzz

of heartbroken thoughts finally ceased.

What the hell was she doing?

She gripped the hand rail leading to the lower level and

took in every nuance of the young woman who picked up

the ring. She was young, alone, in her early twenties, with

pale skin and mousy-brown hair. Harper wanted to approach

her, to snatch the engagement ring from her hands and place

it where it belonged—on her wedding finger. But she

wouldn’t allow herself.

There was no need for the insanity anymore. Judd

hadn’t run after her, and he’d just thrown away the one

thing that should’ve meant the most in their relationship.

The woman looked up at Harper, her big brown eyes

wide. “I think Judd threw it from the stage. I’m sure it was

him.”

“It was.” She descended the first step, her ribs

squeezing tight with every inch. “That ring is worth a lot of

money.”

“How do you know?”

“It used to be mine.”

The woman’s hand tightened around the ring and she

eyed the remaining people in the stadium as if preparing to

call for back up.

“Don’t worry, you can keep it.” She’d beg to reclaim it.

Her heart already was. Only it wasn’t hers to have anymore.

“But why would he…” The girl glanced over her

shoulder to the stage. “It’s crazy.”

“Yeah.” It was always crazy. Pure insanity twenty-four-

seven. “Go on.” Harper jerked her head toward the closest

exit. “Take it home and keep it somewhere safe.”

The woman nodded, a jerky bob of her head that spoke

of awe and confusion. “Thank you.”

Harper waited for her to leave before she descended the

remaining stairs and slumped into the closest chair. All her

breath seeped out of her as she covered her face with her

hands and tried to will the world away.

She didn’t move, didn’t even make a sound as the

footsteps of fans slowly faded and the noise of the stage

crew became a dreary soundtrack to her heartache. With

every passing minute, Judd would be preparing to leave

Denver. He was probably already gone, and she couldn’t

forgive herself for the way they said goodbye.

Love shouldn’t be this hard. She shouldn’t have to

choose between being comfortable in her own skin, yet

confused with grief, or being in love and forever feeling out

of place. Not that there was really a choice. Judd hadn’t

come after her. He never fought for what they had.

He was never going to run after her, no matter how

much she wanted him to.

“He’ll be boarding the bus in a few minutes.” Tank’s

voice came from beside her.

She removed her hands from her face and stared straight

ahead. She was too humiliated by her own actions and

weighed down with regret to look at him.

“Did you see what he did?” Her voice wavered. “He

threw the ring across the stadium.”

“I’m not surprised.”

“It’s ridiculous.” She blinked away the blur in her vision

and met Tank’s gaze. “I can’t believe he’d throw away all

that money.”

He cleared his throat. “But who is more irresponsible,

the man who threw away half a million or the woman who

threw it away when it had more than a monetary value?”

She winced, not expecting the slap of painful truth.

“Look, I’ve gotta go. I just wanted to give you one final

kick before this was all over.” He placed a kiss on his fingers

and then slapped them against her forehead. “All the best.”

“Jesus. ” She wiped the moisture from her forehead but

her touch lingered as he strode away. She didn’t want this to

be the last time she spoke to Tank. She didn’t want the bus

to be her final memories of Judd.

She didn’t want… this. This pain and confusion. This

grief and helplessness.

She stood on numb feet and dragged herself to the exit.

The lobby was abandoned. Even the merchandise stand was

closed. Loneliness seeped in and the pull toward an

unknown force tugged at her throat.

Home. She had to get home.

She pushed open the nearest exit and stumbled into the

night air, filling her lungs to capacity. All she’d ever wanted

was to belong—to a school, or a social group. To something

big. She wanted a mass of comfort surrounding her. A

network of support to cling to.

The only sense of home had ever come from a small

handful of people—her mother, Nicole, Judd.

Maybe it was just her. Maybe she didn’t fit in with a

large crowd. Maybe she had only earned one or two brilliant

souls.

She rubbed her eyes, demanding the tears to go away.

The dark tinted windows of Judd’s tour bus crept into her

periphery.

He was leaving. Not just Denver, but her life.

Her throat threatened to close over. She didn’t want to

be without him again. She didn’t want to lose him. Nor did

she want to be deprived of the level-headed woman who

was nowhere in sight around the world-famous Judd Hart.

She couldn’t commit to a temperamental future filled with

uncertainty.

Or could she?

What price was she willing to pay for comfort?

“Oh, God.” She started running before she could think it

through, before she had any idea of what she was rushing

toward.

The bus inched through the parking lot, parting a small

group of dedicated fans who screamed and banged their

fists along the side of the vehicle.

Harper increased her pace, her tiny heels sinking into

the grass as she aimed for the main road surrounding the

stadium. She couldn’t hear over the rush of blood in her ears

and the frantic thump of her chest.

She ran onto the asphalt, and stood under the glow of a

street light in the outside lane of traffic. She waited, tapping

her foot in an anxious beat as the bus pulled out of the

parking lot and accelerated toward her. The horn sounded in

a deafening blow while the flash of high beam threatened to

blind her.

“I’m not moving.” She raised her hands at the same

rapid pace her heart raised to her throat, but the bus didn’t

slow. Instead, it taunted her with the blink of the indicator,

announcing they were going to go around her. To bypass

her entirely. To ignore her existence.

She squinted against the lights, pinning an unfamiliar

driver with her stare. “Oh, God.” There was no way he would

stop. He’d assume she was a groupie. A threat to Judd’s

safety.

Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God. She ran into the inside lane,

her hands still raised, and began to pray that the driver

wasn’t as crazy as she was.

The screech of slammed breaks hit her ears and Judd

came into view in the aisle of the bus, his eyes wide, his lips

parted. He gripped the booth seat and mouthed something

indecipherable to the driver who opened the door as soon as

the vehicle pulled to a stop.

Judd jumped down the stairs, his face contorted in fury.

She winced as his boots crunched into the asphalt and he

began storming toward her.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

She sucked in a breath, suddenly overcome with

stupidity. She couldn’t meet his gaze, instead she focused

on the small group of people running toward them.

“Get in the bus,” he growled.

Maybe running was a better option. She was good at

that.

“Get in the damn bus, Harper.”

She followed after him, climbing the stairs on numb legs,

and startled when the door closed behind her. Something

burned her cheek and she wiped it away with her shoulder,

still trying to form words, still trying to understand what the

hell she was doing as she stood mere feet in front of Judd in

the middle of the bus aisle.

“Are you crying?” He reached out a hand.

“No.” She stepped back and focused on the floor that

blurred before her. Why did she have to be entirely lost

around him? Why was the world so confusing in his

presence? Nothing felt right, everything was off kilter, but it

was off kilter in the most exhilarating way. It was the fear of

the unknown, the enlightenment of discovery. It was the

aching pulse in the bottom of her belly that never ceased

when she was around him.

“Yes,” she whispered and met his frowning stare. “I am

crying.” Another trail burned down her cheek, the weakness

there for him to see.

He raised his chin, unaffected. “Want to tell me why

you’re trying to kill yourself with my tour—”

“Boss,” the driver interrupted, inching the bus down the

road. “I need to make a move before these people rush onto

the road. Am I still taking you to the suburbs?”

Judd’s jaw ticked as he stared her down. “No.

Apparently, the person I was looking for isn’t there. Just

circle the block.”

Something unfurled in her chest. Something warm and

comforting. “You were going after me?”

His muscled arms crossed over his chest, shutting her

down. “Why did you stop the bus?”

“I didn’t like the way we left things,” she lied.

He huffed in frustration and ran a hand through his hair.

“And?”

She loathed the disappointment in his eyes and hated

herself for putting it there. “I want to feel comfortable in

your world, Judd.” That was the crux of it. She wanted to be

everything. Not only his girlfriend. She wanted to be a

puzzle piece that adjusted to every part of his life.

“I wish I could help you with that, but I’m not

comfortable myself.”

She understood that now. He had a persona around

outsiders. She was one of the lucky ones who had never

been placated. “Your love of music outweighs the

discomfort.”

He inclined his head. “I realize you don’t have the same

incentive.”

“You’re my incentive.”

“Well, that’s what I’d hoped, but obviously I wasn’t

enough.”

“You don’t think you’re enough?” She balked. “How

could you not think you’re enough? You bring a feast to the

table, and I only bring myself.”

“I don’t understand how people think a music contract

can change someone overnight. Years later, I still don’t have

the confidence or charisma that’s mysteriously supposed to

overcome me. I’m the music geek I’ve always been. I’m

constantly questioning if I’m good enough—for my fans, for

my label. For you. I’m the guy who’s nervous as hell that I

can’t keep the woman I love happy. I tried everything I could

to stop you from making those threats to leave me. And still

I wasn’t good enough.”

“You were good enough.” She stared at him, seeing a

kaleidoscope of facets when before he’d only been in 3D.

“Yeah? Well, I still feel like you’re out of my league.”

Her lips parted. How? How could he think that? “But

you’re—”

“I’m petrified.” His arms fell at his sides. “I can’t see

myself with anyone else. I can’t imagine another woman ever

allowing me to feel this real. If you leave, I’m scared of

settling with someone in the industry and becoming the

persona I loathe. And I’m fearful that if you stay my pride

will get in the way of keeping us together.”

“Your pride and my fear of rejection.”

“I’ll never reject you.”

She believed him. Believed that he was adamant.

Honest. At least for now. They had so much to learn about

one another and there was always the possibility he may

hate the new parts he was exposed to. Damn it. There were

too many opportunities for heartache.

“I have a thousand reasons to walk away.” The list was

too long to skim over. “There’s only one pulling me to stay.”

“What’s the reason?” he murmured.

A burning path trailed down her cheeks. More weakness

and vulnerability there for the world to see. “I love you. I

love you so much. I’m just worried that this thing between

us doesn’t make sense.”

“It doesn’t have to. As long as we’re happy together.”

His throat convulsed with a heavy swallow. “Do I make you

happy?”

“Of course you do.”

He nodded and the movement lacked confidence.

“You do, Judd. But maybe this is all too hard. Maybe I

should go.” She frowned at herself. “For real this time.”

“No.” Judd chuckled and shook his head. “You

shouldn’t.”

He didn’t move, didn’t approach as she took a step

back.

“I attempted to stop a bus with my body. I think I’ve

reached a level of crazy that shouldn’t be encouraged.”

His lips quirked in the devilish way she loved. “I threw

half a million dollars across a stadium. I think we’re matched

perfectly.”

She gave him a half-hearted smile. “What if you don’t

like the parts of me that you haven’t seen yet?”

Finally, he stepped forward, closing in on her, bringing

them thigh to thigh. “I know you, Harper. I know everything

about you.” He placed a hand on her hip. “I see your

defenses fall away after we sleep together. I see the love in

your eyes when you watch me on stage. I hear the way you

talk about me to Tank, and he also tells me how you feel just

so I’m not kept in the dark.”

“You spy on me?”

He leaned into her, brushing his lips over her ear. “Trust

you to consider it spying, princess.”

A shiver trickled down her spine and nestled in her

belly. “I’m scared.” The truth scraped her throat raw.

Walking away was easy. Placing herself in the hands of

vulnerability was terrifying.

“I’m done, Harper. I’m lost in those eyes of yours, and

I’ll happily never find myself again. Whether you introduce

me to a softer side of yourself, or you remain my constant

crazy bitch, I’ll always love you.”

She buried her head against his neck and smiled. “I

really hate those words.”

“What words?”

“Crazy bitch.” She pulled back and met his gaze.

He smirked, the long strands of his damp hair framing

his face. “But it suits you perfectly.”

She leaned into his chest and snapped her teeth. “Fuck

you.”

“Fuck me?” Excitement flared in his eyes as he gripped

her waist.

She nodded as he walked backward, dragging her

toward his room. She was stepping off the ledge, leaping

into a life that only had Judd as her safety net. “Yeah.”

“Okay,” he murmured against her lips. “Let’s do that.”

He smashed his mouth against hers and stole a squeal

from her throat. She gripped his shoulders, tight, unwilling

to let go as his tongue parted her lips. They were going to

do this. Be together. Be a couple. Be in love.

He continued dragging her forward, into his room, and

she kicked the door shut with her foot.

“I still can’t believe I saw you throw away my ring.”

“Believe it.” The gentle grip of his fingers encircled her

wrists and he raised her hands above her head. “It was

tainted. I don’t want to see it again.” He pressed her into the

door and made her drown in the scent of his familiar

aftershave. “But you don’t need a ring. You’re mine, with or

without it.”

She raised a brow and bucked her hips against his. “Oh,

I am, am I?”

He flashed his teeth, and sank his body against hers,

rubbing the thick length of his shaft against her pelvis. “You

sure are, princess. Even if I have to kidnap you for the rest

of your life.”

THE END

About the Author

Eden Summers is a true blue Aussie, living in regional New

South Wales with her two energetic young boys and a quick

witted husband.

In late 2010, Eden’s romance obsession could no longer be

sated by reading alone, so she decided to give voice to the

sexy men and sassy women in her mind.

Eden can’t resist alpha dominance, dark features and

sarcasm in her fictional heroes and loves a strong heroine

who knows when to bite her tongue but also serves

retribution with a feminine smile on her face.

For more information on other books by Eden, visit her

website: www.EdenSummers.com.

Also By This Author

Samhain Publishing

A Shot of Sin

Union of Sin

Self-Published

Blind Attraction

Passionate Addiction

Reck less Week end

Sultry Groove

Undesired Lust

Harlequin

Ravenous

Etopia Press

Concealed Desire

Halloween Heat V

Sneak ing a Peek

Document Outline

Title page Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four
Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine
About the Author Also By This Author